


Shuffle and Deal

by Lizardbeth



Series: TRIAD [1]
Category: Battlestar Galactica, Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, M/M, Multi, New Caprica, Novel, Polyamory, Romance, Season/Series 02, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-20
Updated: 2011-10-13
Packaged: 2017-10-23 22:03:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/255493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizardbeth/pseuds/Lizardbeth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They say when the gods deal three cards, they usually deal a pair and an extra for the discard pile. But sometimes, the hand is three-of-a-kind: the triad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "Shuffle and Deal" is the first 'book' of a longer story/series I'm calling TRIAD. This part is novella length and is complete, and there will be at least two more 'books' about this threesome's journey through a similar, but changed 'verse.
> 
> Many thanks to the fabulous [](http://sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com/profile)[**sabaceanbabe**](http://sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com/) who indeed has first dibs and rescued the poor tortured commas, among other things.

  
The Groundbreaking Ceremony had been dull, as expected, but the party had turned great, as the liquor flowed all afternoon and a group of civilians played music for dancing.

During the dance, Kara laughed as Lee's foot went the wrong way. "Can't hold your liquor, Commander?"

He pulled her into his body. "I hold it just fine."

She laughed again as they whirled around to the music. But when the music ended, she caught sight of Sam sitting at the bar, watching her and Lee without any expression, and then he turned his back on them.

The sight curdled something in her stomach, and though she wanted to laugh it off as Sam being jealous of nothing, when she turned her head, Lee was looking in that direction, too, biting his lip. Then he dropped her hands. "I ... Kara... you want him, I know that. But then you make me think I have --" he started and cut himself off, shrugging. "I don't know what you want."

She glanced back to Sam, who slammed a shot like he had every intention of drinking himself unconscious. A little voice whispered that it would be perfect: if he passed out, she could sneak away with Lee and return to Sam in the morning. He might suspect, but he wouldn't know. And Lee would never refuse her, she knew that.

But... that wasn't what she wanted, she realized. Lee wouldn't put up with it forever -- he'd make her choose. Plus it was pure fantasy to believe Sam would never find out. The settlement was one huge gossip circle; Sam would find out, and he'd leave her. She didn't want that.

She grabbed Lee by the hand and pulled him toward the bar. "Come on. You're right; it's time we figured out what the hell we're going to do about this."

Sam saw her first and smiled, happy to see her. That smile died the instant he saw her hand-in-hand with Lee. Kara dropped Lee's hand like it burned. "Sam..." she said. "Can we go someplace away from the noise?"

His hand tightened on his cup. "That's okay," he said, coolly. "I get it. I'm not an idiot and I'm not blind. Thanks for saving my ass from Caprica." He turned his back in dismissal and started to lift the cup to drink.

The words hit with physical force, and she felt anger curl up inside, and reflexively wanted to strike back. With effort she shoved it down; if she didn't, everything would be ruined.

She gripped Sam's wrist to keep him from drinking any more. "No, that's not it. It's not what you think."

He frowned, adorably confused as he looked from her to Lee, who shrugged, having no idea what Kara was doing either. "What then?"

She stole his cup and drained it. She hated this sort of thing, she was no good at it, but if she didn't try, she'd lose at least one of them anyway. So what the hell. Time to roll the hard six.

"Come with me. To the cabin spot. We can talk there." Quivering with uncertainty, she didn't dare look either of them in the face. There was one obvious solution to this problem, but she didn't know if either of them would go for it. Lee wasn't religious, but he was sort of conventional and idealistic about his views on fidelity and marriage. She thought Sam would be more flexible; she remembered when that video of him making out with some male dancer or yoga instructor in a club had hit the C-Bucs fan sites like a bomb. The video quality had been terrible, but hot nonetheless. Sam's statement afterward had simply requested privacy in private moments, which Kara had assumed meant it hadn't been the first time. But being willing to frak both girls and guys wasn't the same thing as what she wanted.

She led them both into the dark, away from the settlement until the sounds of the celebration faded behind them and she could hear the wind in the scrub. She knew the way, up the narrow sandy defile, past the rocks, to where the short trees rattled their leaves.

Sam was last, steps dragging, and when he hit the top of the ridge, he folded his arms and stopped. "This is far enough."

"We're not to the--"

He cut her off. "I know where we are. Say what you want to say."

"Well, if you're gonna be like that--"

"How am I supposed to be, Kara?" he demanded, low and irritated. "It's obvious we're here to hear the results of the little game you've got going, so spit it out."

"It's not a game!" she protested, "and that's the problem!" Then she bit her lip and turned away. Gods, this was a stupid idea and it was never going to work. If Sam was this hostile even before hearing it, she'd be lucky if he didn't spit in her face before walking away.

Lee asked, in a more reasonable tone, "Then what's the problem?"

"It's not a game," she repeated more quietly, looking out toward the wilderness to the spot where she and Sam had decided to build their cabin with its view of the western valley. "I want both of you. And I suppose that makes me the awful person my mother always said I was, but I don't want to choose. So I was thinking --" she swallowed hard and turned back to face them, blurting it out, "We could all get married."

Both men looked stunned. Lee found words first. "What? You ... you're thinking of group marriage? Seriously?"

Okay, that wasn't the most promising start. But incredulity was better than outright rejection. She nodded, and added, trying to sell it, "Group marriage is allowed by the Scrolls. None of us are religiously opposed, and we're all Capricans, or as good as," she corrected herself with a glance at Sam, "where it's permissible. I know it's rare, but not unknown. It would bind us together, and I wouldn't have to lose anybody..."

"So, basically you want to be able to frak us both, without feeling guilty," Lee said.

She flinched. "You make it sound so dirty!" she objected defensively. "Is it so terrible to want both of you?"

Neither of them answered at first.

Sam lifted his eyes toward the cabin spot. When his gaze returned to her, he seemed sad. And he said with obvious reluctance, "Kara... group marriage is for people who love each other. I barely know Lee. And while I guess we both love you, he's right -- if this is about frakking us both, that's not what I want out of marriage. For me, marriage is _forever_ \- it binds our souls. If you really loved us both, then... maybe. But I won't get married so you can have a three-way."

"But I do love both of you," she protested. "If I didn't, it wouldn't matter. I could do what I wanted: I could frak around, we could have a three-way, we could have frak parties, anything. It'd be so much easier. But I don't want one night of all three of us in a bed together -- not that I'm against it or anything," she admitted with a short laugh, "but I want more than that. I can't lose you. I know it's selfish, I do, but I don't want either of you to walk away. And ... and this is the only solution I can think of," she finished, feeling stupid and pathetic, convinced this was never going to work.

She looked at each of them in turn, waiting, folding her arms and making her hands into fists. No one had walked away yet. That was a good sign, she tried to tell herself.

To her surprise, Lee spoke first. "Maybe we could try something not so binding?" Lee suggested hesitantly. "Let Sam and I get to know each other at least? I'm going to have to stay up on _Pegasus_ for a little while, anyway, until Dad is convinced the Cylons can't find us."

She smiled, relieved and happy at what could be a good compromise. "Like one year temporary vows? You can come down for visits and talk and get to know each other. And Sam and I can build the cabin. And we'll all get comfortable with each other, and you two will like each other. Because, c'mon, of course you will, and then, it'll be perfect."

Sam snorted skeptically. His arms were folded, and he was staring out into the dark. She frowned at him. "What?"

"Perfect?" he repeated. "You going to keep a timer when you're with each of us?" he asked, his smile wry and a little bitter. "Gods, I don't see how this isn't going to crash and burn terribly, but I keep considering it. I must be drunker than I thought."

"We can make it work," she insisted. He was considering it; that meant he wasn't saying no. She almost smiled. "As long as neither of you turn into jealous idiots, this'll work. I want both of you in my life, and I want it open and honest and all of us in it together."

The men's eyes met for a long, wary look.

"I know I'm asking you to share," she said. "And that's asking a lot." She impulsively stepped forward and grabbed one of their hands in each of hers. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't want to lose either of you."

"You're traveling in between," Lee added slowly, coming around to the idea. "So we kind of share you already."

"You're Persephone?" Sam asked, after a moment of silence. "Lee gets you above, and I get you below?"

That made her smile, something easing in her chest. "That sounds like a good arrangement. At least while we all get used to the idea and you two get used to each other." Her smile widened, looking from one to the other and back. "Because I gotta tell you I don't want it separate forever. I want you both with me. It'll be amazing."

She brought her hands together, bringing their hands to touch as well, and neither pulled away.

Gods, how had she gotten so lucky as to have them even thinking about it? Maybe Sam was right and this was going to crash and burn terribly. But, she couldn't help it. As long as they were willing, she would take it.

Her smile widened, thinking of those two bodies together. "And you could get together and I'll watch. That'd be... yummy."

"Kara!" Lee protested, pulling his hand free and looking as shocked by that as the idea of sharing her. He was so funny sometimes. "No! This is for you. I'll share you, or at least I'll try, but let's not get carried away." Then he realized what he said could be taken as an insult and glanced at Sam. "No offense. I'm just -- that's not what I'm into."

Sam waved it away. "It's okay."

She noticed he wasn't shocked by the suggestion of getting with Lee, and that made Kara suspicious he'd already thought about it. She wondered how far he would be willing to go with Lee, if Lee were willing. Maybe if they gave Lee time to get used to the idea, he'd try it. "Oh, come on, at least think about it," Kara told Lee. "Then it wouldn't all be on me. And gods know you're both hot."

"Kara--" Lee started to protest again but she shook her head, silencing him.

"Just think about it, that's all I ask. Because if we could build a full triad marriage, it would work better." And she desperately wanted to watch. Because, gods, that was the best fantasy-come-to-life she could imagine.

Sam intervened, suggesting, "Let's concentrate on learning to share you right now and getting to know each other. Before we add complications."

She dropped it for now, figuring he was right.

"Okay. Then, let's find a priest in the morning. And right now, I -- think we should start on that sharing thing." She grabbed both of Sam's hands in hers, went up on her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. Then she did the exact same thing with Lee, noticing that they both looked away, when she was kissing the other. This was going to take some time.

Trying to lighten the mood, she suggested, teasing, "And now I think you should do the same with each other."

The two men's gazes snapped together, Lee's practically striking sparks, daring Sam to move forward. For a second she thought Sam might do it, to face down the implicit challenge, but then he chuckled. "Nice try, Kara."

"Can't blame a girl for trying," she retorted, grinning. Her eyes met Sam's, and understanding passed between them. It was going to happen eventually. Funny, how that thought of Sam kissing Lee made her stomach twist with jealousy and yet also made arousal start to seethe between her legs. But if she was asking them to get over their jealousy, she had to get rid of hers, too. Which she did by imagining the two of them - naked, sweaty, and gods, so frakking beautiful -- locked together. Yeah, she wanted that.

Licking her suddenly dry lips, she turned away. "Come on, Lee. We'll show you the site."

She led the way, with Lee following her and Sam tagging along behind. They hiked along the ridge, until she stopped in a clearing.

Then she turned with a smile. "Here. This is it."

"Looks better in daylight," Sam observed.

Kara watched as Lee stopped and turned slowly to take in the sights.

There was a tall tree, and some lower scrubby trees in a semicircle around a clearing. The grass was thick and high with only a few loose rocks. Opposite the big tree was an opening with a view of a small valley. The brook in the valley was just a damp spot now, but it would run when it started to rain which would give them water for gardening. Above, the sky was deep black with sharp stars and the distant but bright gas giant sending its silvery light across them.

"It's lovely," Lee agreed with a slow approving smile. Kara was relieved, though she hadn't really doubted he would like it.

"We found it on a hike a few weeks ago," Kara said. "We've been all over the nearby area." Actually, they'd had sex over most of the region, but she didn't say that aloud. Sam's quick smiling glance at her said he was remembering, too.

"We rejected anywhere that has too much sand," Sam said, his voice a little dry.

Kara chuckled. "It does get everywhere. But this place is much more comfy." She sat down in the grass and started to take off her shoes, both Sam and Lee watching her in some puzzlement.

"Sit down," she urged them. "Come on. Let's stay here for a little while." She pulled off her socks and wiggled her toes, enjoying the touch of the breeze.

"You're... going to stop, right?" Lee asked, but settled down cross-legged.

Just for that she was tempted to keep pulling off clothes, but instead she laughed at him. "Such a prude in your old age, Apollo. Fine. No strip triad tonight."

Though that did give her a really great idea...

"Oh no, I see that face," Sam teased and dropped to the ground in that way that ought to be clumsy with his size, but instead turned into something graceful. It was like watching a lion, she'd often thought - not that she'd ever tell him -- large and strong but quiet unless roused. Whereas Lee was more... she glanced at him, wondering ... cheetah, smaller and leaner and quicker. And both of them insufferably arrogant in his own way, but she supposed that was hardly unique to them.

"I'll bring cards next time," she promised and grinned mischievously. "I know for a fact that Lee's played before, because I took his pants with a perfect full colors once. And somehow I bet you've played before."

"Strip triad? Me? No, never," Sam claimed innocently, and the others laughed.

But the laughter faded as they all wondered what to talk about.

"So," Lee said and stopped. Kara almost laughed again at the awkwardness. Here she was, with two hot guys she wanted in the sack and who'd actually agreed to that by some gods-damned miracle - and yet the three of them were sitting there, fully clothed, and looking so uncomfortable it might as well be a fleet performance review.

"So," Sam repeated.

"So, tell me about yourself," Lee suggested. "It seems we have to get to know each other."

Sam shrugged and bent one knee to rest his arm on. "Not much to know. I went to Queenstown University on a pyramid scholarship, turned pro at the end of my third year instead of graduating, played for the Silverstars, Panthers, and then was traded to the C-Bucs. Cylons blew the place to hell and here I am."

Lee smiled faintly. "Okay... now how about something I couldn't read on the C-Bucs official bio?"

"Like what?"

"Your family?"

"Don't have one," Sam answered. "My parents died when I was a baby. I grew up in group homes and foster care."

"Oh. I didn't know that. Sorry," Lee said.

Sam shrugged as if it didn't matter. "Don't remember it that well."

"And the accident?" Kara prompted. "I've never asked..."

He didn't have to ask her which accident. There was only one that mattered in his background, but it was one only true fans knew about, because he had stopped talking about it in the press. And in fact, he gave her a surly look, as if she wasn't supposed to ask. "Kara..."

Her hand curled over his knee. "Lee needs to know you're more than your rep."

"But I'm not," he retorted, with a skeptical snort. "I played pro pyramid. It's not like I was, I don't know, some kind of brain trust doctor or anything important." He waved his fingers to dismiss the whole topic. "I played ball for money, and I had all the things that went with that, like models and film premieres and department store appearances."

She frowned at him, wondering why he was so determined to make Lee believe he was shallow. There was a lot more to him than his rep as a player, on and off court. "Tell him, or I will."

"What? It doesn't matter anymore." But off Kara's look, he sighed and gave in, reciting the story as if it had happened to someone else. "Fine. Ancient history. In high school, I was on a school outing and the boat went down at sea. I managed to cling to a fishing float, all the way across the Narrows. I washed up ashore at Minos, mostly dead. I barely remember any of it. I was in the hospital for a month. The staff encouraged me to play for my recovery and that's how my pyramid career started."

"Oh gods," Lee murmured in shock. "I had no idea."

"And?" Kara prompted. "Tell Lee what you did for the hospital."

"I gave them money." He shrugged, shoving it off as no big thing. "Lots of players donate to charitable causes; it wasn't unique to me. Besides, they saved my life. If they'd been a typical institution, all paperwork and rules and no heart – I would've turned out different. But they weren't like that with me. They let me stay even when I should've gone back to Neiseon; they wrote Picon Child Welfare to get my case file transferred to Minos so the same case worker could keep watch over me." He paused and his expression softened with the memory and affection. "They saved me from being one of those street kids who steal from the tourists and do drugs. So it seemed like it was the least I could do, once I had some cubits in my pocket, was give some back.”

Lee, apparently already wise to Sam's self-effacing ways, asked, "Did you set up a foundation or something?"

"He built them a new hospital," Kara told him, and was glad to see the new respect dawn in Lee's eyes.

"A children's annex," Sam corrected. "Not a full hospital. I was never that rich." He smiled wryly. "But everything else you ever read about me is true. It's only after the attacks that I stopped frakking around. I realized how none of it – not the games, the parties, the lifestyle – none of it meant a damned thing."

Lee nodded thoughtfully. "That's pretty much true for everyone, I think. Survival is a pretty powerful motivation. Even in the Fleet we had to get a lot more serious. But ... I don't think that makes our lives before the attacks somehow invalid or empty, because we weren't fighting to survive. It's just how it was."

Kara thought the conversation was getting way too depressing, especially when the Fleet was safe, at least for now.

"I think we're all far too serious and we could use more frakking around," Kara grinned at them and had to stretch to reach Lee, too, but managed to curl a hand around both their thighs. "And I aim to fix that."

"Kara, now's not the time," Lee grabbed her hand to keep it from sliding upward.

She chortled and yanked her hand free to try again. "It's always time."

"Kara!" Lee fended her off as she made quick feints trying to get inside his guard; eventually she pushed him over on his back, gripping his hands, and she could swing a leg across his waist and smirk down at him gleefully.

"Lighten up, Leland," she mocked. "We've already been through the end of the world."

She was drunk enough to forget Sam was still there, until his hands clasped her waist and pulled her off, backward, into his lap.

"Hey!" she yelped, reflexively struggling, if not very hard, and he hugged her middle to keep her there.

He nuzzled at her neck, his breath hot on her skin. "We all get to play, Kara. And we're not always going to play the games you want," he warned softly.

She shivered at the implicit promise, then found her voice. "If you're telling me that you two are ganging up on me, then I say, bring it on, baby." She ground her hips into his lap, grinning as she felt his breathing falter.

Lee sat up. For a moment, she feared he was going to break the mood, as a strange expression passed over his face and his throat worked, but instead he crawled nearer and surprised her by kissing her.

It didn't last long, but long enough that it felt perfect. It was what she wanted -- one body behind her, one in front, both loving her. Then Sam's mouth fell away from her neck. Lee's eyes were open, but looking over her shoulder at Sam. They both seemed frozen as if surprised to find they were so close together.

"See?" she asked quietly into the sudden taut silence. "It'll work."

Whether it was her words, their proximity, or that they were touching each other as well as her, she didn't know, but the moment broke. Lee pulled back to sit cross-legged, and Sam's arms loosened and he nudged her off his legs.

"How about we just talk?" Lee suggested, not looking at either of them. "I'm not drunk enough for that."

"Yeah. It's... too soon," Sam agreed.

Kara smiled and pulled at strands of grass to twine around her fingers, wondering if they realized they were both implicitly agreeing that it would happen eventually. One day, all three of them would be naked in bed together.

She expected she was going to have to be in between them, at least at first, but that was definitely something to look forward to.

* * *

 _tbc..._


	2. Chapter 2

The night passed slowly. They talked and wished for something to drink, but since the gods weren't dropping bottles from the sky and no one seemed inclined to get up and go get any, they stayed without.

"We should go back to town," Sam suggested.

"Why?" Kara countered. "It's warm here. Let's stay." Leaving, they might realize this plan of hers was stupid and refuse. She didn't want to leave here and break what they had. It was ... cozy.

Sam shrugged and leaned back on his hands, watching the sky in no real hurry to leave.

Lee stretched out on his side, head propped up on one hand to look at them. "You think toasters will find us?"

"Of course they will," Sam answered, without hesitation.

"Really? You think so? Then why come down?" Lee asked.

"They left the Colonies, went someplace --" Sam waved a hand up toward the stars. "And they've got forever. They'll find us. But we don't know when they'll come; could be next week or fifty years from now. And I'd rather live in the open air than trapped in some ship." He flashed a smile at Lee. "Nice as your ship may be."

"And when they come?" Lee asked, curious.

Sam shrugged. "Assuming I'm still around, we fight them." Kara nodded firmly, agreeing with that, until Sam added, "We fight them as long as they let us, and then we die."

Taken aback by the flat, defeatist attitude, Lee sat up, frowning at him. "You don't think we can win?"

Sam snorted scornfully. "What war have you been fighting, Adama? Because the war I was fighting was unwinnable. My group and your fleet were infested with toasters from day one. The only reason we didn't all die right away was because we were _entertaining_ , flailing around in our doomed efforts to accomplish anything. Don't frakking kid yourself you were ever winning."

"But, we --" Kara objected, and then remembered when they'd discovered Father Cavil was a Cylon. He'd been there the whole time, in secret, and they'd only discovered he was a toaster because of the one who'd been in Sam's resistance group. She was still angry about that, because she should've known, but they'd hidden from her to keep playing their games. "Hell. You're right."

"So that's why I think we need to live now," Sam added more softly, looking up at the stars. "This place can't last. But for now, we take what peace and love we can."

"So say we all," Kara agreed, and Lee echoed it.

 

* * *

Kara awoke to the sound of birds and early morning sun right in her eyes. Her head hurt when she moved it and her neck felt stiff from being pillowed on Sam's arm.

Sam was still asleep, flat on his back and snoring softly, and when she raised herself up she saw Lee was asleep, too. She let out an annoyed sigh, wishing she'd been able to sleep longer, and then poked Sam awake since he was closer.

He groaned and threw an arm over his face. "...away."

"Time to get married," she announced cheerfully and went to straddle his waist. "Good morning!'

He muttered, barely audible, “Frak off, Kara; my head's killing me."

"Aw, is the little baby hungover?" she mocked, cooing at him and pulling at his arm to uncover his face, but he resisted. "You remember you agreed to get married today?"

"I was drunk.”

"C'mon, Sam," she wheedled, bending down to start kissing all that she could reach around the barrier of his arm: forehead, side of his neck, and jaw, until he moved his arm upward so she could find his mouth. "Let's go. Let's do it. You know you want to..."

"Kara..." he complained but with a lot less resistance as she moved her hips down against his, body to body. As usual, he forgot his objections, warm hands slipping under her tanks. "Mmm, you feel good."

"Shush," she whispered, "don't wake Lee..."

Mid-kiss Sam froze and tore his mouth away from hers. "Lee?" he repeated blankly, and then she could see the memories seep back into his face, and he glanced to the side to see Lee curled up in the grass. "Oh gods," Sam muttered and pulled his hands from her.

She didn't move. "He's still asleep... if we're quiet and quick..." She kissed his mouth, but he turned his head away.

"He's _right there_ ," Sam objected in a low murmur.

"Pretend we're in my rack or the tent, people are just as close," she coaxed, sliding a slow teasing hand from his chest downward. "Sam, we didn't do anything fun last night and I want-- and I can feel you want--"

She had a second where she might have been able to coax that want, but then Lee muttered something and woke up with a yawn. Sam caught her hand before it could land anywhere interesting. "Get off," he hissed.

"What? We're planning to get married and _now_ you decide we can't make out in front of him?" she sat up, mood broken, but didn't move off him.

"Let's try to have a little class."

That was about the least thing she wanted to do and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, for frak's sake," Kara muttered, but slid off. Then, deciding Sam deserved it, she went to Lee.

"Good morning," she murmured and kissed him, too.

Lee was surprised at first, mumbling her name against her lips, but he got his fingers in her hair to hold her close.

It was different, but still hot, kissing him - a little familiar but mostly new, and he was kissing her like he was afraid she was going to disappear on him.

Then she pulled back and grinned. "Well, that was a better good morning." She shot a look at Sam, but he was ignoring her, with his arm over his eyes again.

Then her stomach made a slow flop over, and she thought she might throw up. She'd frakked it up already, hadn't she? Suddenly Sam's objection that he'd been drunk last night took on new meaning -- was he going to take it back? Then she'd gone and pushed too hard. He was going to leave. She glanced anxiously at Lee, who was looking at Sam and didn't know what to do with his hands, pulling them back from her.

Slipping off to the side in the dirt, she said, "Frak. This isn't how I wanted this to go. I want everyone to be happy, and this... it's not going to work, is it?"

Without moving or looking at her, Sam let out a sigh. "It can. Look, my brain has no objections. I understand sharing, in concept. But you need to understand the rest of me wants to punch him in the face."

"But not me?" she asked.

He pulled his arm away to frown at her. "Of course, not you."

"I'm the one doing the kissing," she pointed out. "I'm the one who's doing the betraying, if anyone; Lee's just not saying no. So you should be angrier at me."

"I didn't say it was logical," he retorted. "And I'm not really angry at him anyway. What I am is..." he trailed off and sat up, shrugging.

"Jealous?" she offered with a smirk.

"No," he objected, then gave a frustrated grunt and allowed reluctantly, "Maybe. I don't know."

"Uncertain?" Lee suggested, and Sam nodded. "Yeah, me, too," Lee went on. "I want to be with you, Kara. So does he, and I know that. But I think what we're saying is we want to be careful, when we don't know what we're doing. Navigating a minefield's hard enough when certain people," he poked her leg, "aren't merrily skipping down the middle."

Though momentarily amused by the thought of merrily skipping through a minefield, she realized she was missing the point. "So, you're saying -- you're both still willing?" she asked, trying to get to the part that mattered.

Neither of them answered at first, sharing a glance that seemed weighted with information in a language she couldn't quite understand. It was as if they were speaking silently on some mysterious male wavelength, getting along better with greater understanding than they'd had when they'd been in direct competition.

It was really kind of funny.

"Yes, we are," Lee answered.

"Willing, and ready," Sam offered. "Let's go before something wrecks it."

She held out her hand and she and Sam pulled each other up to their feet, and then Sam offered his hand to Lee. "Adama."

Lee accepted the hand and pull to his feet. "Anders."

Kara waited but neither of them said anything else, as if that was all they had to say. She shook her head in bemusement and nudged her way in between. It felt … right, flanked by their faces and pretty blue eyes and frakkable bodies and good hearts.

It felt lucky, as if it was going to come crashing down any second. So she should bind herself to them quickly before they realized how stupid this was, and they both took off for greener pastures.

She grinned at them, with what had to be sheer joy lightening her insides. "Let's go get married!"

Grinning back, Sam tried to twirl her around, and she stumbled into Lee, laughing.

 

* * *

 

They found Brianna, the only surviving priestess of Aphrodite, down by the river. Kara had only come to know her after they'd both come down to New Caprica, but had found her to be nothing like she had expected.

She was a middle-aged woman, her black hair beginning to gray, and not easily ruffled by anything. She usually had a group around her as apprentices and lay brothers and sisters, to whom she was trying to teach as much as she could lest it be lost forever, but none of them were present this morning.

Brianna seemed unaffected by last night's festivities, looking clear eyed as she smiled a greeting at them. "Good morning, Kara."

"We want to get married," Kara blurted. "Some kind of temporary vows for now, to make sure we can do this, but real oaths sealed to the gods.”

Priestess Brianna raised her eyebrows and smiled. "All three of you?"

"All three," Kara agreed, and Sam nodded confirmation when the priestess glanced at him.

"Right now," Lee added. "Before I lose my nerve." He chuckled nervously and Kara smacked his arm.

"This is... an unusual request," the older woman said. "Rare in recent times. I've performed only one other since the fall of the colonies."

Which started to sound like a no, and that was going to be difficult because Aphrodite's clergy were the ones most likely to do poly marriages. If this didn't work she might have to find one of those crazy monotheists to do it. "Will you do it?" Kara demanded, less politely than she meant it to come out.

Brianna smiled. "Of course. Do you have tokens to give one another in pledge?"

"Sam's already wearing it," Kara pointed to her tag on its cord around his neck. There was nothing else she could give him that meant as much.

"Remove it and she will re-gift it," Brianna instructed. Sam lifted the cord from his neck and looked a little reluctant to hand it back as he put it in Kara’s hand. Brianna then prompted. "And for Lee?"

"I have this," she touched the ring on her chain. It was odd, perhaps, that she was going to give him the ring Zak had given her, but Lee knew what it meant. He looked surprised and then touched.

"Lee, what will you give?" Brianna asked.

He reached into his pocket. "This was my mother's." He held up a ring. Kara stared at it, astonished he had been carrying it around. He caught her look and explained, “I keep it in my uniform pocket as a good luck token, since I had it when I came up to the ship to do the flyby."

Kara was reassured that Lee hadn't somehow strategized or prophesied this whole event somehow.

"And for Sam?" Brianna asked. Lee looked surprised as if he'd not thought about it. "This is for an equal triad," she told him. "If that is not your wish --"

He had a confused look on his face, as if that wasn't actually what he thought was going on, but then he added hastily, "No, no, it is." Kara hid a smile, knowing she was one step closer to what she wanted. He thought about it. "Oh, of course. I'll give one of my tags too."

She nodded, pleased, and turned to Sam, who shifted his feet and looked shamefaced. "I - I don't have anything," he admitted and his lips twisted wryly. "Wasn't long ago I could've bought you custom jewelry, but I left Caprica with nothing."

Brianna nodded her understanding. "Of course that's been a problem since our exodus from the colonies. No one has much of anything. Which is why a token need not be a ring, or a military tag, or something you might have once purchased. It doesn’t have to be worn. It can be anything tangible - its importance is that you are giving it to seal your promise."

Sam nodded and his brow furrowed in thought, glancing from Kara to Lee and back, his eyes falling on the dog tags before he got an idea. "I'll be right back. Don't move. It might take me a few minutes, but don't go anywhere," he told them and dashed off. Kara tried to see where he was headed, but he was soon hidden by the tents.

The three of them waited in somewhat awkward silence, waiting for him to come back.

"If he trades my paint, we're gonna have words," Kara said, knowing he would never do that. But he might trade something else.

"He'll probably find Chief and get rivets or washers from him," Lee said. "That's what I'd do."

She doubted that. Sam wasn't as used to how things worked on the ship or had as much familiarity with the Chief's ability to fabricate things out of thin air. But she was content to wait and see what he found, at least at first.

* * *

Sam squinted against the sunlight as he headed back along the way they'd come, wondering how much radiation poisoning had affected his brain to be planning to do this.

Marrying Kara was probably nuts all by itself. They'd settled, more or less, into an arrangement that was fun and sexy, but she could be prickly and defensive and she provoked arguments, sometimes for no apparent reason except to see how far she could push. But he'd accepted that as part of her, realizing it was about trust. But he hadn't expected her to push his acceptance by adding another person.

Something he knew was jealousy simmered in his stomach when he thought about it. And disappointment, that he wasn't _enough_. She had to want someone else, too.

Then there was Adama… so frakking proper about everything Sam had to presume he loved Kara a lot to consider this at all. He was attractive, but if he wasn't interested in returning any overture Sam made, there was no point even thinking about it. They'd have to focus on Kara and make the most of that.

If he was smart he wouldn't go back and get involved in Kara's threesome fantasies. But he was a pyramid player, not expected to be clever, and that meant he didn't have to do the smart thing, even when he knew what it was.

Pushing his way through the bracken and back to the cabin site, he muttered aloud, "You're a dumbass, Samuel T. Anders, and you deserve all the heartbreak this insane plan is going to give you."

But he couldn't refuse it, either. The uncertainty in Kara's eyes yesterday, as she'd waited for their answers, had been so strange and so difficult to see, he'd wanted to say yes right away, just to get that confident, brash woman back. But her joy this morning had been worth it.

That light in her eyes and big smile… gods, what wouldn't he do to see that?

Which was pathetic, and nothing like the carefully casual relationships he'd indulged in his life before. But the attacks had changed that, too. Kara had struck at a vulnerable moment, bringing her fun and her brilliance into a life all turned to shadows on Caprica.

He'd put up with a lot for what she'd given him. Even sharing her.

Letting out a sigh, he surveyed the site, hoping he could find something he could use for this absurd plan of getting married to a woman he couldn't live without and a man he barely knew.

 

* * *

It seemed to take a long time for Sam to come back; Kara got bored and had to let the priestess attend to someone else who came to talk to her. She was about to go look for Sam, wondering if he'd ditched them after all, but Lee shook his head. "Patience."

"I don't do patience."

"I noticed." Then his expression went serious. "Kara, this ... I don't know -- it's not like I don't understand what you see in him, I do -- but what you want us to do..." he trailed off uncertain.

"Getting cold feet?" she taunted.

"Look, two people in a marriage are hard enough to manage. My parents' marriage failed, your parents' was worse, and Sam didn't have any. What kind of chance do we have?"

Before Kara could find an answer, Brianna returned unexpectedly, laying a hand on both of their shoulders. "You have as much as you're willing to work for it. Aphrodite is love - but she does not guard your marriage once it is performed. That's up to you. Marriage requires more than love; it requires sacrifice and compromise and compatibility. For three seeking its bonds, it can be more stable than two but it requires thought and care and people strong of will."

"At least we have the last one covered," Kara joked. "You're a stubborn mule and Sam's a --" she tried to think of the matching animal with Sam's utter tenacity. "a -- a barnacle. Neither of you let anything go. Ever." She glanced in the direction Sam had gone and made a face when she saw no sign of him. "Assuming Sam's not making a liar out of me, today."

She waited as long as she could stand and was taking a breath to declare her decision to find him, when Sam trotted up. "Okay, I have it," he announced. "Sorry, it took me longer to find than I thought it would. But I have something."

He had a hand in his pocket and Kara asked, "What did you get?"

"You'll laugh, but it's the best I could do," he said, and didn't take his hand out. "You'll see it soon enough."

Brianna seemed to glide in the middle of them. "Are you ready?" she asked, smiling.

"We're ready," Kara declared, and glanced at Lee first as the one who seemed most likely to bolt.

But he gave her a reassuring smile back and took her hand. "Ready."

She reached for Sam's hand with her other one, and he tangled his fingers with hers. She had thought she would be anxious, waiting to be married, but with Lee and Sam flanking her she felt calm and ready.

"Aphrodite is love, and welcomes all lovers into her heart and blesses them," Brianna said, "as they enter her realm. For lovers know the truth, that our souls are love. You have come here to bind your souls in marriage."

Kara jerked her head up, alarmed, and felt both hands tighten on hers. Not forever, not yet- this was going to fall apart if Brianna insisted on binding.

Brianna held up a hand. "I know, this is not to be, yet. This is a trial binding. It is... a braid unfastened, and will unwind itself if untended or rejected." Kara relaxed and let out a breath. Not permanent.

But then Brianna's voice grew darker, more ominous with warning, "Be aware that this means that your bond will be tested. Aphrodite will seek to reveal to you if your love is true. If you choose to face these trials together, hold out your left hand."

Kara was the first to hold out her hand toward Brianna's, noting with relief when Sam and Lee both did as well. Brianna gathered their hands together in a pile between hers and smiled at them in reassurance.

"Then you will swear your oaths and after that, you will exchange your tokens of that oath to seal them before the gods. The oath is simple but must be taken seriously - Aphrodite and all the Lords of Kobol will punish those who break their sworn oaths."

She removed the long thin stole from around her neck and wrapped their hands together with ritual solemnity.

"Do you swear, Kara Thrace, to bind yourself in marriage to these two people standing before you? Do you promise to be faithful to them and them alone? Do you promise to stand with them through good times and bad? To listen to their hearts, support them when they falter, and love them always?"

Kara hesitated as the weight of that oath seemed to loom over her. A small voice in the back of her mind gibbered at her that this was stupid, and foolish, and no one wanted her love like that. She couldn't do it, couldn't be depended on because she was Kara Thrace, frak up, and she was going to screw this up too, because that was what she did...

But the voice seemed to get smaller and smaller under the clear, steady light of two pairs of beautiful blue eyes who were waiting for her to speak. If she faltered now, she really would be a frak-up, and she'd never get this chance again.

She cleared her throat, touched her tongue to her lips, and said in a softer voice than she meant it to be, "I swear."

Their hands tightened on hers, and Sam smiled at her, before turning his eyes to watch Lee as Brianna gave him the oath next.

In a clear strong voice, Lee said, looking into Kara's eyes as if no one else existed, "I swear."

She couldn't help smiling back, happy and pleased. Then she turned to Sam expectantly.

Brianna spoke the same words to him. He hesitated briefly, eyes flickering to Lee before returning to Kara, and his voice in contrast, was a low oath, barely above a murmur, but his hand tightened on hers, "I swear."

"Your oaths are spoken, you have bound yourselves in marriage in the sight of Aphrodite and the Lords of Kobol," Brianna declared.

Kara's cheeks felt tight and she realized she was grinning, and she couldn’t stop looking from Sam and Lee, unable to believe it was actually done.

"Now," Brianna explained, "you must exchange your tokens."

Kara was ready for this. She reached up to her neck where the cord holding her separate dog tag rested and she took it off. "I gave this to you in promise," she told Sam. "I give it back in a new promise. But I still mean it. I will come back to you. Always."

She put the cord over his neck so the tag returned to its spot on his chest, and she poked it with her finger. "There. That's where it belongs."

Then she took the ring out of her pocket - she'd removed it from her chain already and held it out to Lee. "Zak gave this to me; we intended to marry. And now I want to give it to you to say that I still remember him, I still miss him, but that chapter's over. We start new, today, you and I, without his ghost haunting us."

He nodded, and his jaw tightened as he looked down at the ring, and folded his fingers around it.

"This," he took out another ring, "my father gave this to my mother. When they divorced she didn't want it anymore but she didn't want to give it back to him either, so she gave it to me. I wasn't sure if I should give it to you - or anyone, when they weren't exactly a shining example of a perfect marriage, but take it with the promise that we don't have to make the same mistakes they did. I won't."

She took the ring and swallowed hard, understanding what he meant and how deeply he meant it.

Then, uneasy by the somberness, she turned to Sam, smiling. "Okay, let's see it. What did you find?"

"Well, it's not such an important--" he started, but Brianna put a hand on his, quieting his words.

"It is from your heart?" she asked.

He nodded, looking cutely shy. "Yes," he answered, having to clear his throat.

"Then it is the same," she declared.

"Right. Well, I went back to the site for the cabin," he explained. "I thought that's now our place, and so I looked for something to give you from there. And I found these. I thought you'd be able to drill a hole for the chains."

He held out his palm and nestled inside were two small, flat stones about the size of coins. He handed one to Kara, who held it in her hand with Lee's ring and had trouble pulling in a breath, because she didn't want to spoil the moment by something as stupid as breathing. Then he handed the other to Lee.

"Take these as a symbol of my promise to both of you, of devotion for as long as we have."

Lee had to clear his throat. "I suppose that means it's my turn. Since Kara gave one of hers to you, it seems right that I should give one to you, too. Along with my promise that I... I will give everything I can to making this work."

He handed his dog tag to Sam, who clenched his fist around it, and their eyes met, unsmiling, and Sam nodded.

Brianna looked very amused. "And now you kiss."

"Do we have to?" Lee blurted, and Kara giggled.

"Don't be a prude, Lee," she chided. "I know you know how to do it." She pulled him by the hand into her and laid one on him before he could even speak. "See? I knew you could do it."

Then she spun and grabbed Sam's shoulder to keep him still, going up on her toes. He was more ready for her, mouth meeting hers, and she pressed into it, eager, thinking -- _married. I married you. And him. And this is amazing._

Then she pulled away, grinning as she waited for the inevitable.

Brianna prompted, "Now Lee and Sam."

Even though they must have expected it, they both froze, gazes locked. Kara prompted, "C'mon, we don't have all day, you two."

"But... " Lee started and stopped.

Kara couldn't keep back a chortle of glee.

"Oh, for frak's sake," Sam muttered and moved, taking two strides back to Lee, both hands out to hold Lee's face between his palms and angle it up to meet his. Lee stood there, unmoving, staring as Sam got closer, only closing his eyes when he risked going cross-eyed.

Sam brushed his lips across Lee's in a chaste kiss and let go, stepping back. "There. That wasn't so terrible, was it?"

Lee looked a bit stunned as if he'd never kissed a guy before, which maybe he hadn't, but she enjoyed the look on his face, hoping it meant that he might like it.

Brianna's eyebrows went up as if she didn't quite approve, but then a smile tugged at her lips and she shook her head with resignation. "It is done. By the grace of Aphrodite, you three are bound in sacred marriage. Go from this place knowing that now your souls are joined and no mortal force may separate you except yourselves. I give to you Aphrodite's blessing for your love. So say we all."

They echoed it, "So say we all."

Then silence fell.

"That's it?" Lee asked after a moment.

"That's it," Brianna agreed, amused. "You're married. Congratulations."

"We're married." Kara laughed, feeling bubbly and almost drunk suddenly. She seized Lee and Sam's hands and swung them. "We're married!"

"And a little crazy," Sam added.

"A lot crazy," Lee agreed wryly.

"I think we should go find drinks and celebrate," Kara declared. "It's a beautiful day."

And it was.

* * *

  
 _tbc..._


	3. Chapter 3

The sun had risen on a quiet town, with few people awake. Many more were still outside, sleeping off the previous celebration in the warmth. Debris from the celebration was strewn about- empty cups and broken tent stakes, and not a container with anything left in it to be found anywhere as the three of them wandered through.

They found the Tighs -- the colonel was awake, holding a flask, with Ellen's head in his lap.

"Morning, colonel," Kara greeted him cheerfully.

He squinted up at them against the sunlight. The frown deepened curiously when he realized Kara was holding hands with both of them. "You three still drunk?" Tigh asked.

Kara grinned at him. "We got married!"

The colonel spluttered. "You what? You got married? You're frakking joking."

"No, colonel," Lee confirmed. "We did. Just now. All three of us," he clarified, defensively.

Tigh laughed and shook his head at them, as if the foibles of youth, then he raised his flask to them in salute. "Best of luck, you t __hree. You told the Old Man yet?" he asked.

Kara froze and felt Lee tense beside her. Neither of them had thought of the admiral all night -- not that he could forbid it, or probably would if he could, but he might be very disappointed in both of them. Or not understand. And Kara didn't like making the admiral disappointed in her.

"No. Not yet," Lee answered with a shrug that professed to not care, but she knew better. His face was suddenly taut with misgivings as if he wondered if the reaction would be terrible.

"Oh, you two," the colonel chided impatiently. "Don't know him at all. Just go tell him."

"You don't think he'll be mad?" Kara asked. "Or disappointed?"

"I'm sure he'll be mad you did it without him. Hell, I'm mad about that, and I know Ellen will be, too," Saul said. "This place could use another party. But he'll be happy for you. Even if you had to go and marry a C-Bucs player," he joked, glancing at Sam.

Sam, who didn't have to give a frak what the admiral's reaction was going to be, flashed a grin and retorted, "Proves she's got good taste."

Kara couldn't resist, nudging him with her hip. "Your taste isn't all that great. So don't get," she licked her lips, "cocky."

Sam chuckled and looked smug, despite her words, since he knew she didn't object that strongly. Lee got it and pulled his hand away, "Kara! In front of me? Come on."

"Well, sure, I'd like to do it in front of you, but I'm guessing we'll have to wait on that," Kara returned, teasing.

Tigh could not stop laughing at them. "Oh gods, I'm gonna have to sell tickets." He waved his flask at them, shooing them away. "Take your marriage weirdness someplace else. I don't want to know."

"Point us in the direction of booze and we'll go," Sam said.

"No, we better find Dad," Lee corrected. "Do you know where he is?"

Tigh gave them some vague directions where he'd last seen the admiral, and the three of them started in that direction. They hadn't gotten all that far when Lee abruptly stopped, pulled his hand free, and faced her.

"Look, I know you two have been together, you live together in the tent. I understand that this is all about sharing and I'm okay with that. Or at least as okay with it as I think I can be, until I get used to it. But, I'd appreciate you not rubbing my face in the fact that you two have frakked all over this planet, when you and I have barely kissed."

She put her hands on her hips, irritated. "Is that what this is about? You're jealous?"

Sam put a hand on her shoulder, quelling her snap of temper. "Wait, really? You two ... never...?"

"No," Lee answered. "First there was Zak, then he died, but the war started, and .... Then there was you. Timing was never right."

"Then... he's got a point, Kara," Sam admitted. "If I was in his shoes, I wouldn't like it either."

She turned on him, and looked from one to the other, shaking her head. "No, no, we're not starting out with this keeping _score_. That's a loser game and like you said, I'm not gonna carry a frakking timer just to make sure everything's all _fair_."

"I'm not saying that, just --" Lee objected.

"No, you're saying you can't handle the reminder that Sam got something you haven't yet. Well, you know what, Lee? It's your own damn fault - we could all three of us be frakking in the tent right now, but no... you two, despite years of naked locker rooms, have turned all freakish and uptight about this." She folded her arms, pissed off that they were spoiling things already.

"Locker rooms are not the same thing," Lee insisted.

"Close enough. I'm not playing to your personal insecurities. I love you both, I plan on frakking you both, but I'm not going to turn psycho over this sharing thing because my endgame is for us to be together. And if that's not your endgame, too, then I don't know what the frak we're doing."

Lee seized her shoulders. "Kara. I'm not backing out, okay? But let's be real; we've jumped into this without knowing what the hell we're doing and we could use some time to figure it out without pushing so hard it breaks."

She inhaled a breath to calm down and after a moment, nodded her understanding. "All right."

"You made yourself clear, but like Sam said, it's not only you and what you want. And _we're_ the ones trying to find our way through something I never even considered doing before."

"I get it," she insisted impatiently. "Okay, I get it. But shit, maybe this was a stupid mistake if we can't even go an hour without a fight..."

Sam chuckled and patted her arm. "Relax. We'll work it out. Brianna said we'd face tests."

"I didn't expect our first one to happen so soon," Lee said dryly. "They probably get worse."

"Full of cheerful thoughts, aren't you, Adama?" Sam retorted. "Come on, let's find the admiral. I'm looking forward to seeing his face."

He started off. Kara hung back and shared a glance with Lee -- neither of them was eager to see that face. Even though she thought it was probably true that he wouldn't be upset, there was still that smallest chance that he would be and she didn't want to see it.

But hell, she'd already managed to ask two guys to marry her, she could face the admiral.

* * *

 

Lee wondered how he was going to explain this, when he wasn't quite sure what had happened himself. _Yeah, Dad, Kara asked me to marry her. Which is probably weird enough for you, considering Zak, but it comes with a catch -- she wanted to marry Anders, too. And so in order to have Kara I agreed to let her have him. So yeah, now I'm part of an official threesome with a guy who used to be on the cover of frakking magazines and managed to stay alive on Caprica after it was crawling with Cylons, which is still damned impressive even if he thinks otherwise. Gods. What the frak am I doing?_

The admiral was awake, sitting at the bar and drinking something from a mug that smelled of caf. He smiled to see Lee, and waved him over. "Morning."

As he went closer, with Sam and Kara following him, Lee felt the ridiculous desire to put on his jacket, which he was holding over one shoulder. "Morning, Dad."

"You look as if you enjoyed last night," his father said, and was probably merely making conversation, but Lee flinched guiltily.

He swallowed, getting ready to say it, when Kara blurted it out, completely without any preparation whatsoever: "We just got married!"

The admiral blinked and the hand carrying his cup to his mouth froze and then slowly dropped back down, leaving his drink untasted. "You and Lee?"

"And Sam," Kara corrected him. "All three of us. Just now. Down by the river. A priestess of Aphrodite. It was … really pretty..." Her voice trailed off and started to rise in almost a question, betraying her own uncertainty.

Bill's eyes went from his son to Kara, flicking to Sam briefly, before returning to Lee. "This... seems abrupt."

"Um, yes, sir," Lee answered. "We decided last night. It's more of a trial. A bit more than an engagement but, sort of, like that. To see if we can work it out. But ... we're going to try."

Bill looked at Sam, face creasing in curiosity or maybe disapproval. "This was your idea, I assume?"

Sam gave a short laugh. "Mine? No. It was Kara's. I was fine without your son added in," he answered honestly, shrugging. "But we do what we gotta do, sometimes. I'd rather add in Lee than not have Kara."

"Thanks, I think," Lee muttered at him. But then, seeing his father still seemed skeptical, Lee added, "I don't expect it'll change our tactical set up, if that's what you're considering. I'm planning to stay on _Pegasus_ , at least until we can be more sure the Cylons aren't going to find us."

"Actually," the admiral said, with slow deliberation, "I was considering that I want to see you happy, Lee. That's all. The ship didn't cross my mind, though I'm pleased you're considering the practical ramifications, of course."

"Oh. So you don't ... mind?" Lee asked, hating how his voice slid upward at the end, a little boy still wanting his father's approval.

Bill stood and gripped his shoulder, looking into his eyes. "I have only ever wanted to see you happy, son," he murmured. "If this is what does that, then, I'm glad."

Lee had to swallow and nod, taken by surprise and touched by the sentiment.

Then more to his surprise, the admiral held out his arms and hugged Kara. "Not the son I expected to marry you but, still, I'm glad to call you daughter, Kara."  
,,  
"Thank you, sir," she said, with an uncertain, watery smile.

Then the admiral moved to Sam and looked up at him with a faint frown. "I should've known any strays Kara brought home would be trouble." But then the frown changed to a smile and he held out his hand. "But you're a good man, Anders. And I think you might be the only thing that will keep these two from killing each other. So, welcome. Congratulations. And good luck. You're going to need it."

Sam shook his hand and chuckled dryly, "I figured that out, Admiral. But thank you."

Kara was still deciding if she should be offended by that, but Lee chuckled and the admiral gathered up abandoned cups on the top of the bar and poured out of a small metal bottle. There was only enough left for one swallow in each cup, but he handed them out.

"Gods' blessings on all of you," he said and raised his cup.

"So say we all." Kara raised hers as well, and all four of them touched cups before draining them in a swallow. She grabbed the bottle to dump any left over, but only a few drops came out. "Is that all?" she asked. "Let's find more. We're supposed to be celebrating."

"And food," Sam said. "We've got rolls from yesterday in the tent. I need some food before I drink any more."

"Enjoy your day," the admiral said with a fond look and waved them away, shaking his head.

Kara grabbed Lee's hand and when Sam put an arm over her shoulders, she tucked her other hand into his back pocket, not above a little secretive groping.

The sun was getting warmer and brighter, and it seemed that everything was possible.

* * *

"People will not stop talking!" Kara muttered irritably as the day wore on.

Sam chuckled and shook his head. Word had spread at the speed of gossip through the camp. Fleet personnel toasted them constantly or wanted to shake hands, and even civilians seemed intrigued, gathering around or offering free drinks.

"We're all celebrities of a sort," Sam reminded her.

She snorted. "You're a celebrity, I'm a pilot."

"You're a pilot of _Galactica_ , and everyone in the fleet knows your name," he corrected. "And they know about Lee as commander of the _Pegasus_ and the admiral's son. So of course, there’s gossip."

Lee and Kara exchanged a glance as if they'd never thought about it before, and Lee heaved a sigh. "Suppose so. I didn't have too much contact with the civilians before, so I didn't realize."

Sam shrugged and cracked open another nut from the small bowl on the bar in front of him. "It'll fade. At least they're not taking pictures to sell to the net."

"And they're leaving us alone right now," Kara said, nudging both of them with an elbow to either side. "So, what are we gonna do?"

"About the gossip?" Lee asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Our wedding night, idiot. You gonna join us in the tent, or what?"

Sam had been thinking about it during the day and he offered, "You two should get together."

The other two were visibly stunned. "What? Are you offering --?" Lee started.

Trying to pretend that this was easy, and not the stomach-churning decision it actually was, Sam said, "Because you're right; Kara and I've already been together. So, I'm stepping aside tonight."

"No, all three of us together," Kara protested, "you don't have to touch --"

"Kara, I don't want to watch," Sam interrupted her, his tone of voice flat. "It's hard enough to think of him being with you. And I'm pretty sure he thinks the same. So then we have to take turns and since I've already gone first…"

Lee shook his head. "No, it's a noble gesture, but we should let the gods decide. Otherwise it makes me feel like I'm taking advantage or something, and ruining what should be special for all of us, since it's not just me and Kara -- "

Sam wanted to growl in frustration. Frakking sense of justice making things difficult. Sam interrupted shortly, "I'm offering, Adama. Take it."

"Excuse me," Kara interrupted. "I don't think we need martyrs either. Lee's right. Let the gods decide."

"All right, fine." Sam took off the cord that held his two dog tags and removed one. "This is Lee's. His name falls up, then he gets tonight. Name lands face down, me."

Then, he positioned the tag on his fingers. _Do I let luck actually decide? I know it's gonna eat at him if I win_ , he thought, then realized he wasn't sure if the tag would flip like a cubit anyway and he was out of practice. But he flipped the tag, trying for the right fall.

It flipped high, and started to twist since it was too light, and for a moment he was afraid it wouldn't flip properly. But it fell onto his palm so that 'L. Adama' was visible with the Fleet symbol. He opened his fingers to display it. "There. Lee wins."

Kara frowned a little, suspicious of the result, but since she, like everyone, believed that coin flipping was always random, bought it. She turned to Lee with a smirk. "Guess it's you and me, finally."

Sam smiled to himself, pleased, and then wanted to laugh. How many men cheated to make sure their wives slept with someone else? He was nuts, there was no other explanation.

He strung the tags back around his neck.

"I think we should go up to _Pegasus_ ," Lee suggested. "In keeping with our Persephone idea. You're being generous, and I don't want to ruin your half of things by sticking my nose in your spaces."

"As long as you stick other things in my spaces," Kara joked and ran a hand up Lee's thigh.

Sam's stomach lurched, though he tried to keep it off his face. _Yeah, not thinking about that. Let Adama have his chance. You and Kara have frakked all over this damn planet. Do the right thing. Even if doing it sucks._

But then, taking him by surprise, Kara turned back around and shoved insistently between his knees. She leaned into him, hands curling over his shoulders, and she murmured, "I'll be back tomorrow and we can have our own celebration. In the meantime…" Her mouth joined with his, in hard hot promise, pulling his lower lip with her as she withdrew.

She tapped his dog tags. "I meant it," she reminded him, meaning, _I'll be back for you_.

"Holding you to that," he said and his smile was more genuine.

Lee looked awkward. "I, uh.. Thank you," he said to Sam, aware and understanding that this was a very strange situation for them all.

Sam waved. "Go on. Go."

They left, hand in hand, and he watched them until they were out of sight.

Tyrol wandered in close, from the other end of the bar where he was getting drinks. "What's that about?" he wondered. "Aren't the three of you--?" he started, awkwardly trailing off, recognizing it was none of his business.

Then Sam realized everyone around had probably watched the whole thing. _Gods, and I thought the marriage was gossip fodder. Damn it, that was stupid of us._

He stood up. "Galen, I could really use something to do right now. Construction. Digging. Something physical that I don't need to think very hard about."

Tyrol seemed surprised, then glanced in the direction Kara and Lee had just gone. "Sure. Uh, we started on the admin building today. I know the concrete crew could use some more hands."

"Perfect. Thanks."

He drained his cup and went to the construction area. It didn't take long before he was helping to mix and pour the concrete into the molds to make the bricks. It was good physical work, requiring enough attention that the only time he thought about something else was when he heard a Raptor take off. But, instead of letting his mood turn surly, he coaxed everyone into reciting pyramid fight songs, so there was a bit of friendly competition as they worked.

He stayed until it was too dark to work. Then he went to find Jean and Hillard so they could shield him from the over-curious, and got drunk enough to forget what happened today.

 

* * *

 

The Raptor going up to the Fleet wasn't just the two of them, unfortunately. Ordinarily, Dee and the Tighs wouldn't have bothered Kara one bit, but the admiral's presence put a damper on things.

The admiral peered at them curiously as he hovered in the hatch before joining them on the bench. "Anders?" he asked.

Kara had no idea how to answer that implicit question, as it suddenly seemed very wrong to be without him. She wanted to explain it wasn't her plan, but then Lee explained, haltingly, sounding as embarrassed as she felt, "He stayed on New Caprica. We, uh, flipped for it. It was very sudden," Lee went on, sounding a little faint and had to clear his throat. "We're taking things slow."

The admiral raised his eyebrows, but said only, "I suppose you know what you're doing. And taking things slowly seems wise."

The Colonel snorted skeptically, but Ellen put a hand on him and smiled at Kara and Lee. "Congratulations."

Dee said nothing, Kara noticed, and she seemed pleased when Kara went forward to join Racetrack as copilot.

They were the only ones to leave at _Pegasus_ , and the Raptor launched for _Galactica_ promptly.

That left Lee and Kara on the deck alone.

"This feels kind of strange," Lee confessed after a moment, still looking at her. "Not quite real. As if it's going to … end."

She laughed and grabbed his hand. "It's real. C'mon. Live a little, Lee."

Lee called into CIC to tell Hoshi he was on board and then Kara grabbed the handset from him, "And Lieutenant, we got married today. No interruptions for anything short of death or the frakking toasters. Got it?"

Hoshi sounded stunned, but answered promptly, " _Understood, Starbuck. CIC out. And congratulations_."

It wasn't Kara's first time in the admiral's quarters on _Pegasus_ but it was the first time she'd entered it with the intention of frakking its occupant into the mattress.

She looked around and said mockingly, "Posh, Commander."

Lee looked embarrassed. "It's Cain's stuff. I offered it to Dad, you know, as Flag officer quarters, but he didn't want it. I … feel like I'm keeping the place warm, honestly. It's not mine."

"Well, I guess that means we should make it ours," she suggested. "At least there's plenty of room." She could imagine all three of them there -- Lee at the desk doing ship's business, her doing CAG assignments and Sam on the couch doing … well, they'd have to come up with something for him, if the ship ever left. She had the feeling he'd never stay on the ship if there was a planet available.

Lee stayed in the middle of the room, tapping his fingers on the edge of the table, and after a moment of silence, he said, "You know I meant what I said, right? About trying to make it work. But… I worry that doing this, splitting up like this, is going to doom us to failure. Sam's gong to resent me for taking tonight--"

She chuckled. "Lee, Sam offered so you wouldn't resent him. Honestly, you two make me laugh sometimes, both so concerned with doing the right thing you tie yourselves up in knots. Unless you're telling me you want to go down and try all three of us together, take it as a gift, and don't overthink it. We're here, all alone, there's a bed the size of the flight deck, and we got married today. These things don't happen every day."

He had to agree with that one, and pulled her close. Lips came together, briefly light and teasing before joining deep and tight.

They shed clothes quickly, tossing their uniforms heedlessly to the floor and falling back into the bed.

Lee's touch was almost reverent, sweeping across her skin. "You're so beautiful - you don't know how long I've wanted you, Kara," he murmured between kisses.

"I have a good idea," she answered with a laugh, remembering some drunken groping and kissing when Zak had still been alive.

She put Zak out of her mind - the ring on Lee's tag chain promised she'd let him go - and arched into Lee to get him to hurry. But he seemed determined to touch everywhere, and finally she had to yank him up by the shoulders. "Frakking, now, flyboy. I've waited a long time, too." Then she shoved him on his back, rising up above him and enjoying the look in his eyes as she came down.

Touching him was different, but still wonderfully good, and she knew she was the luckiest girl in the fleet to be able to do this, freely.

As her fingers traced all that skin that was now hers, she could hardly believe it was real. He was there, and she'd just frakked him and he was hers. And down on the planet, Sam knew and he was waiting. It was a miracle.

 _I don't deserve this; I know I don't, but thank you, gods, for letting me have both of them. However long it lasts._

* * *

As much fun as that big bed was, Kara knew in this fragile early time she had to be careful. No matter what she'd said about not keeping a timer, this was not a moment when she could be less than fair. Lee had the 'wedding night' but he couldn't have it all. When she told Lee, he couldn't hide the disappointment that she was leaving so soon, but he nodded his understanding and sent her on her way.

She showered first, so she wouldn't smell too much like someone else, and pushed the Raptor into a hard, fast landing so she'd get down as first light appeared on the horizon. She popped the hatch and started for town, ducking beneath tent support lines down narrow alleys to get to the right one.

Their tent was small and like all the rest, except for the banner made of strips of cloth in C-Bucs colors which someone had given to Sam. She smiled to remember how touched he’d been to receive it. It was made of rags, but he'd mounted it outside the tent as if it were a flag of one of the Colonies.

She ducked inside the flap as the sun rose over the tent city. The light was enough to see Sam underneath the blanket, all curled up like an oversized puppy, and he was asleep. He didn’t stir for the flap opening or as she shimmied out of her clothes, and only muttered vaguely as she crept underneath the blanket behind him.

He was wearing only shorts as she scooted closer to the warmth of his back. Then she slipped a hand over his waist, and planted a kiss at the nape of his neck. “Hey, Sam. I’m back. Let’s say it’s still yesterday and celebrate…”

He muttered and groaned, waking up slowly. “Kara?”

“Hey, baby,” she told him, sucking on his neck and moving her hand down his stomach. "Your new wife wants some conjugal attention."

"Wife?" he repeated, as if he'd forgotten, but just when she was about to get annoyed, he turned over to grin at her. "I do like the sound of that."

"Husband." She chuckled and shook her head. "I can't believe you two fell for it."

He leaned in for a kiss. "Just remember, you asked for it."

"I did, at that, thank the gods," she murmured, and joined her mouth to his, leg curling over his hip as his fingers slid inside her underwear.

She was already sensitized enough that his fingers brought her to sweaty, easy climax and as she shuddered, she grinned, "Oh gods, I could get used to this."

Looking way too smug, he pushed inside her with a long smooth stroke. "Me, too."

She grabbed at his shoulders, arching, coaxing him to give her more, pushing them both to a hard, fast completion.

After, she wasn't sure she could move. She couldn't catch her breath, her heart was still racing, and her whole body was filled with a sleepy lassitude, except for where she could feel her blood throbbing between her legs.

Sam stretched out beside her, taking deep breaths. "We should get married every day, if the day after's like that."

"See, and you thought there'd be no advantages." She poked him in the side lazily, and he turned his head to kiss her shoulder.

"As long as I have you some of the time, that's all I want," he murmured.

"Not all of the time?" she asked and she didn't fail to notice that he kissed her instead of answering.


	4. Chapter 4

It settled into a routine -- one which Kara enjoyed, though occasionally she wondered what Sam and Lee truly thought about it. Neither admitted any discontent with the situation, but they never talked about what she was doing with the other one, no matter how mundane. It made her want to push the issue, but mindful of how upset they'd both gotten, she bit her lip and let it go on, for now.

She continued to fly supply and personnel runs up to the Fleet and back, alternating a few days on _Pegasus_ and then a few on New Caprica, and thinking moodily that at least Persephone had stayed in one place for months at a time. But Persephone had only had her mother up above, or she might have been tempted to return sooner.

The weather started to turn, as the rainy season started. Even when it wasn't raining it was chill and damp, and it took longer for everything to dry, including her paintings and the concrete Sam was now in charge of making. She liked to tease him that he was a boy playing in the mud, since he seemed to enjoy it, or at least enjoyed working side by side with the rest of the C-Bucs and Caprica resistance who'd followed him into it. It wasn't a job she would've expected from the same person whose previous day job had been pro ball, but it kept him busy. Not that he stopped playing pyramid; if the Cylons on Caprica hadn't managed, a day job and rain couldn't either.

One rare sunny day, she returned to the surface and found him at work, in the center of town, looking ghost-like with concrete powder on his face and clothes. Barolay and Hillard looked equally gray, and they were all laughing at something, as Sam poured water into a large vat that the other two were cranking to make it turn.

Kara stayed apart for a moment to watch. This was what she'd lost, she realized, by letting herself be away half the time. She'd once been part of the C-Bucs easy camaraderie, but now she didn't know the joke anymore.

Hillard spied her first, lifting a hand to her and muttering something to Sam. Sam lifted his head to find her, bright grin looking rather frightening in such a strangely colored face, and he called, "Hey, Kara! Check it out!"

She wandered over. "You're making concrete, yes, I see that. I know that's your job."

He rolled his eyes. "Not this. Over there." He put down the water jug, and told the others, "I'm going to show her our project. Be back."

"We'll hold our breath," Barolay teased, and she laughed as Sam gestured rudely as he walked away.

"I'd kiss you, but you look like you died six weeks ago," Kara told him, nudging him with a hip as they walked. He caught her around the waist, spinning her in his arms, and planted a kiss on her lips.

"Zombie kiss," he declared smugly, setting her back on her feet. "Welcome back. But come see what you've missed."

They turned to go around some scaffolding and then she saw what he wanted her to see -- actual concrete walls.

"The first apartment blocks," Sam said at her side, voice quiet. When she glanced at his face, he was looking at the structure with a satisfied smile. "We -- the concrete team-- poured the foundation last week, and started the walls two days ago."

"It's nice concrete," she stated, unsure what to say, and teased, "Who would've thought Mister C-Bucs Pyramid Player would also get a secret hard-on from construction?"

He slanted a look at her, not amused. "It's important."

She heaved a sigh. "Look, I don't care about concrete, I'm sorry. I'm glad you're doing something useful with your time, and lords know I'm glad people will have actual walls and maybe even a roof eventually. But… the part I care about …" she turned to slide her hands slowly up his arms to his bare shoulders, and smiled up at him, "is that construction workers are really, really hot." Then, as he moved in and lowered his head, she stepped back, wrinkling her nose. "And in desperate need of a shower."

She laughed as he looked pouty and disappointed. She darted in to poke his nose. "I never said you had to do it alone."

A slow grin spread across his face. "Well, in that case, I'd love to take a shower."

They often showered together, even if it didn't turn into something more fun, since they preserved a water ration that way. It was an entirely different way of life than the greater ease on the growing emptiness of Pegasus. Kara didn't mind the difference, and she was amused by how much Sam seemed to thrive on it, but she supposed any settlement without radiation or Cylons was a step up from Caprica.

She had the suspicion that the living conditions was one of the reasons Lee was making no real effort to join them more permanently on the surface. He'd visit, but always seemed to mention the mud, or the toilet facilities' smell, or the chilly air, or something unpleasant, as if those were growing into bigger sticking points in his mind than Sam's presence.

But they were all getting into a rut, and if there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was boredom.

Time to shake things up.

* * *

 

On _Pegasus_ , she announced to Lee, "You need to come down. You haven't visited in a while."

Lee pretended fascination with the report he was looking at on the desk. "Dionysus Day festival's coming up. I figured I'd come down for that."

She chuckled. But then he didn't laugh with her, and she realized he was being serious. "That's in two months." Hands on her hips, she glared at him until he looked at her. "Don't be ridiculous."

He let out an exasperated sound, as if she was the one being ridiculous. "Kara, we're losing people every day to the surface. I'm trying to juggle the schedule --"

She put a leg over his, interrupting him as she sat on his lap facing him, pushing away the paper. "Are we married?"

He sighed. "Yes."

"To Sam, too," she reminded him. "But it's not going to work if you keep avoiding him."

"I'm not --"

She put a hand across his mouth. "You are. And there's no reason. I'm not asking you to frak him, Lee; talk to him, be friends. We're in this together, all three of us. Unless you don't like him?"

For a moment, he looked as if he wanted to agree, but then his lips twisted in a rueful expression. "No, that's not it. I -- He … He seems like a good man. I like him fine," Lee eventually managed to say, and it sounded like the truth.

"Then what is it? You're still jealous?"

"A little, I guess," he admitted and he held her hips, caressing her waist absently. "But he doesn't seem to like me very much."

"What made you think that?" she asked, genuinely puzzled.

"He's so … friendly." She frowned at his answer, not understanding. Lee added, "I watch, you know. Everybody else is his friend. He plays pyramid with Duck and the C-Bucs, and drinks with Chief and random civilians, but then suddenly, when I'm around, he's a different person. Like he can't wait to get away."

"And that doesn't give you a clue?" she demanded impatiently. "I'm sure he thinks the same thing. You two are so busy looking for landmines when you're near each other, you don't relax. So, come on, come down. We'll play triad and drink. Just the three of us. Hoshi can handle things for a night…"

He gave in to her kisses, as she knew he would.

* * *

Lee had a feeling he knew what Kara was planning the moment she'd mentioned triad.

So it wasn't a big shock when she slapped the triad cards on the table, and smirked. "It'll be strip triad. Since nobody has money, it'll be winner's choice in each hand what the losers lose."

Sam let out a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes. "I knew it."

"Of course you did, because you know I want you both naked," she returned with a flirty grin.

Kara sat on the cot, card table pulled up to her, and the two men in chairs. Lee let his eyes roam over the tent, since it was the first time he'd been inside their place. He presumed the table and chairs weren't always in the tent, since they used up most of the available floor space. There was a box of belongings, another of food and cooking supplies, a hot plate, and some canvases and painted wood stacked next to the big box. He wanted to take a closer look at Kara's paintings, since they were something she only did on the surface.

The place was tiny, and he could feel a draft on his feet despite the woven grass mats over the hard ground, but neither of them seemed to notice, at home in the cramped quarters. He supposed the interior was both bigger and more private than a pilot's rack, if not as spacious as the admiral's quarters on _Pegasus_.

He watched Kara and tried to ignore that she was sitting on a bed where she and Sam were probably going to have sex the minute he left. He'd seen the two of them all over each other before the wedding enough to know what they mostly did in this tent. And now he knew exactly what Kara looked like with her pliant body all shiny with sweat... and though he tried to tell himself that he didn't need to picture Sam, it was hard not to look when Kara took their outer shirts with a saucy, triumphant grin. That left Lee in his tanks, and Sam in the his black t-shirt with the cut-off sleeves, and he watched as Kara slipped one hand up Sam's arm to his shoulder, trying to peek at his cards.

 _I am not thinking about it,_ Lee told himself firmly. _I've seen it before, how her fingers dig into his shoulders and he has his hands on her ass…_

Then Sam managed to win a hand and strip off Kara's shirt, leaving her wearing her bra and chain with its tokens that rested on her cleavage. Sam's gaze lingered on her breasts, too, and watching him lick his lips and look at her was almost as hard to tear his gaze from.

Wondering what the hell was wrong with him, Lee averted his eyes to his cards. But that lasted only until he had to strip off his over-tank and Sam lost his shirt all together, leaving his pair of dogtags dangling on his chest.

 _She'd put her fingers all over that chest and he'd lick that hollow under her throat, and she'd arch into him…_

Lee didn't even care when she took his last tank top, wrapped up in his own increasingly heated imaginings, as if instead of his wife and her other lover, he was thinking about some kind of video porn.

 _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to watch them._

He drank to try to drown out the thought, but that seemed to make it worse, until he was shifting in his seat uncomfortably, dreading her inevitable win where she took his pants. He wondered if he could take them off without revealing that the card game was getting him a little too excited for having another guy in the room.

He put down a golden sun. That was a foolish discard usually, since it was the rarest card necessary for full colors, and if you got one you never let it go. The minute the card went down, he could feel the game change -- both Kara and Sam looked at it and Sam leaned forward as if, for a moment, he might pick it up.

But luckily Sam left it, drawing a new card instead and then discarding his own. Then he leaned back and drummed the fingers of his free hand on the table; Lee figured it was to try to throw Kara off, but since he hadn't taken the card, he wasn't trying to bluff full colors.

Kara drew also and discarded a two, and then let out a triumphant yelp, laying her cards on the table, crowing, "Read 'em and weep, boys. Full colors."

Lee glanced at it and rolled his eyes. Figured. He threw his cards on the table with a sigh. "What do you want?"

"Pants, of course," she grinned at him. When Sam didn't move to start taking his off, she glanced down at her cards and then at his still-hidden hand. "You can't beat full colors, Sam."

Unexpectedly he started to smile, smirking back at her. "Actually, I can."

She frowned, "There's no hand. Is this some crazy Picon rule?"

"No, this is the 'no cheaters' rule. Lee just discarded a golden sun, so you must've slipped one in from another deck."

Lee stopped opening his pants, to regard them both in surprise. Was Sam seriously accusing her of cheating?

She straightened in offense. "I did not. I picked it up in my draw this last card."

Sam's smile widened. "No, you didn't. Because ..." he laid his cards down on the table. There, side by side with Sam's two pair, was the other sun. "I have it. And since there are only two in each deck..."

She stared at it. "No, you can't have it. Lee's cut put it deep in the pile..."

Lee realized she was admitting to knowing where the sun was, and that meant Sam was right.

But Sam laughed softly. "Baby, I dealt the cards. I've had it all along."

Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him in amazement, as if he'd turned into someone else unexpectedly. "You ... dealt it to yourself? But how...?"

"Old skills from my reckless youth have been coming back." Sam leaned back in his chair, with a very satisfied, somewhat crooked smile. "Did I never mention how I used to fleece cadets when I was at university?"

"No, funny, you didn't mention that," Kara said dryly. "I thought you said the hospital had kept you from being a criminal?"

"They did. Mostly. But there are only so many ways a poor kid on a scholarship can make beer money." He lifted a hand and wiggled his fingers. "I'm not as good as I used to be, but this was an easy trick."

Lee looked from one to the other. "You mean you both cheated?"

Sam had enough grace to look a little ashamed. "Yes, sorry," Sam told him. "I usually let it pass, but I thought it was time Kara knew I can always tell. She's not the only dirty cheater in the family."

But Lee didn't really mind; it was a different side to Sam that he had the feeling Sam didn't show very often. "How?"

Sam gathered up the cards. His tone was a little too casual, especially when he avoided looking at them. "When I went back to foster care after the accident, I didn't have any money, so I stole a wallet off some tourist on the boardwalk. I was too stupid and naïve to know pickpockets had territories, all controlled by bosses. So I fell into a group working for a magician who ran the little stuff: cards, cups, pickpocketing, sleight of hand stuff. My social worker found out and stopped it. But I learned a lot, those six months." As he talked, he tapped the cards into a straight pile and then shuffled twice with a flourish. Then he dealt two cards to each of them, and then, casually, as if it was something they could see every day, he flipped his pair over to reveal two golden suns.

"How the hell did you do that?" Lee demanded in astonishment.

"Magic," Sam returned with a smirk.

"But-- but if you can do this, why do you lose so much?" Kara complained.

"Why do you cheat when you win most of the time anyway?" he countered. He gathered the cards again and handed them to Lee. "Here. The game's no fun if I know how it'll turn out."

Lee took the cards, and his fingers felt numb as he stared at Sam's face. He hadn't shaved in a few days, giving him a scruffy look that let Lee imagine what might have been -- the Sam who could have stayed in a crime syndicate and worked his way up to enforcer. Or no, that wasn't right. A smart crime boss would put that face to work: sweet talking women into fake investments and charming old people out of their pensions. He'd won Kara Thrace in mere days, after all, and it couldn't be just because he was that great in bed.

The room suddenly felt too close and stuffy, and Lee set the cards down to start gathering up his clothes. "Well, that was interesting and fun. But I should go back."

There was silence for a moment following his abrupt words, and he thought Kara and Sam exchanged a concerned glance.

"Lee, you're not mad?" Kara demanded. "It was just that one hand, I promise."

"No, it's okay, I don't care," he reassured them. "But this is your place and I'm in the way." He put his tanks on and gave Kara a quick kiss. "I'll see you in a few days. Evening, Sam."

"Good night," Sam answered and Lee could feel his gaze, as he left.

Then Kara let out a sigh he could hear outside and she said irritably, "Frak. You ruined it."

"Ruined what? Your attempt to get us both naked or your dream that no one would ever catch you cheating?" Sam returned and teased, "I've known all along, you know. You're clumsy, amateur--"

"Oh, yeah?" She chuckled and her voice got a little softer, taking on that tone of mischievous intent that suggested she had gotten a lot closer to Sam. "Clumsy and amateur, hm? You weren't saying that this morning…"

Then there was kissing and wordless murmurs implying other things.

The sound of metal clanking in the tent next door startled Lee and he realized he was standing outside the tent, still eavesdropping.

He forced himself to walk away.

* * *

 

Sam didn't know exactly what changed after the card game, but something had. Lee seemed more willing to socialize and come down to Caprica, and Sam found he was getting more relaxed around Lee as well. But in a way it was more difficult, because the easier they became with each other, the more Sam had to forcibly remind himself that Lee wasn't going to reciprocate.

Kara's plan had succeeded all too well. By any standards Lee was attractive, and by Sam's standards he had the sort of athletic body Sam tended to be attracted to anyway. But Sam had never gone anywhere he wasn't wanted, and he wasn't about to start now.

So he knew that even if they were going to sleep together, all three of them -- as now seemed inevitable -- there was only so far he was going to get with Lee. He was going to have to go slow, nothing too fast or too intimate, and keep Kara between them most of the time.

When he and Kara went up to _Galactica_ , to celebrate Karl and Sharon getting married and Sharon's door being opened, Sam had a feeling it was going to start.

They all had plenty to drink after the admiral officiated. Sam had to admit that Sharon looked very pretty and happy, and since she had helped to save his ass from Caprica, he drank to her, and then again when she was so surprised to be shown any appreciation at all. She wasn't so bad, and if all the Cylons were like her, maybe none of this would've happened.

Kara was giggling as she pulled Sam and Lee into the vacated quarters on _Galactica_. "Come on." Then she impatiently toed herself out of her boots and threw them outside the hatch, then pulled it shut.

Lee didn't seem to notice, opening his dress uniform with a drunken complaint, "I still can't believe Helo married a toaster."

Sam snorted. "At least he doesn't share, that puts him one over us."

Lee agreed with a groaning sigh, as Kara threw his tunic to the floor. But then she turned sharply away to face Sam. "I thought you were okay with this."

He grimaced, realizing he'd had a little too much to drink at the wedding if he'd let that slip out. "I am okay," he protested. "I'm going to find Jean and get a little drunker, and leave you two on your own. I'll see you in --"

But she caught his shoulder and shoved him into the bulkhead. "If we're really gonna build a cabin for all of us together, you're both gonna have to get used to being in the same room." Then she rubbed against him, hands rising up to his shoulders and caressing down his arms. "Come on, Sam, don't go. All three of us... we're in this together."

He didn't really want to leave, so he let her pull him over closer to Lee and had a bad feeling when she got that wicked glint in her eye and asked, "You know what would make this easier, I think? You two have to touch each other, not just me."

"Kara --" Lee protested.

She silenced him with an upraised hand. "Stop. I know Sam's done it before, so, Sam, why don't you try kissing him? I'll watch."

"You've done it before?" Lee asked, surprised.

Sam's gaze flicked from Kara to Lee and he answered, "Uh, yeah. I play both teams. But I know you don't, so it's not something I would --"

Kara put a hand at the small of his back and pushed him toward Lee. "You two need to do more shutting up." Then her hand snaked around his hip and slid down the front of his pants, and Sam straightened, catching his breath.

Her breath was hot in his ear. "Kiss him and I keep doing this," she whispered.

With that lure, he inhaled a deep breath and reached out for Lee's face. Lee didn't move, eyes shifting between Sam and Kara and he chuckled nervously, "Kara, if this is your idea of a joke -- "

"You know, she's right - you need to do more shutting up," Sam murmured and slipped his fingers into Lee's hair, thumbs on his cheeks, and looked into his eyes.

He leaned in and closed his eyes when he got too close, and put his lips on Lee's. Lee's mouth stayed closed, until he suddenly flinched and pulled back exclaiming, "Kara!"

She grinned impishly and poked him. "Take the stick out of your ass and kiss him like this." Then she leaned in and kissed Lee, then when they were getting into it, she pulled back and nudged Sam in, to take her place This time Lee was more relaxed, parting his lips on a breath as Kara did something to him. Sam held his head still, deepening the kiss, opening his mouth, hit by an unexpected flare of arousal when Lee unexpectedly pushed back. Lee's hands fell on his chest and slipped down.

"Good lords, that's hot," Kara muttered and Sam felt her fumble at his waist, opening his pants. "Gimme some."

She moved in, pressing into them, trading back and forth, until Sam wasn't quite sure whose mouth was on his. But he could feel the difference under his hands as he touched Kara's curves of hip and breast, while his other hand felt sleek muscle.

All his good intentions of looking and not touching, of going slow, slipped away in a haze of too much to drink and too many hands undressing him. Bare skin and sweat under his fingers. Kissing Kara and caressing her breasts, while Lee knelt on the floor with her leg over his shoulder to lick at her until Sam had to hold her up.

Her skin flushed as she gasped, "Oh gods" and went from rigid to pliant in his arms. Her nipples burned like fire dragging against his chest, and there was something about the wet sounds Lee was making down there that made Sam... _want_.

But he didn't realize he was nudging into Lee's shoulder, until Lee put Kara's leg down and turned to look up. Kara freed herself and Sam found himself watching as Lee's hand wrapped his erection boldly.

Lee's eyes were hazy with lust and alcohol, but he knew what he was doing as he declared, "I'm not the inexperienced ... prude you two think I am."

And he proceeded to prove it by taking Sam's length in his mouth and Sam had to clutch at Lee's hair to keep from coming right then, as the heat swallowed him down.

Lee wasn't as skilled as Kara, but he made up for it with aggressive enthusiasm. Sam couldn't help the little groans that escaped him, or the way his hips twitched with needful motion. He managed to glance aside to see Kara's eyes fixed hungrily on the display before her, fingering herself as she licked her lips. Her gaze caught Sam's and she smirked. "Told you so."

And then he had to shut his eyes as it all tightened into a fiery knot. "Frakking gods!"

Lee finished him off with a twist of his hand. He looked very smug as he climbed to his feet, swaying and licking his lips. "See? That wasn't so bad."

"Definitely something we'll have to do again," Kara declared and held out her hand. "It was frakking hot. C'mere."

She pushed Lee on his back and straddled his hips, to take him inside her. Sam had thought he'd have a problem watching this, but instead, there was something gloriously sensual about it. He decided he didn't want to be completely left out of this part, so he leaned forward to kiss Lee, licking the sweat pooling in the hollow of his throat and sucking on his collarbones as Kara held herself steady on Sam's shoulder and frakked her other husband.

When Lee came with a cry, Sam smiled. Kara stretched out on top of Lee, but entwined a hand with Sam.

* * *

 

Dionysus festival day was notorious for people getting drunk and other things.

Kara and Sam played pyramid together, against Duck and Barolay, while Lee was one of the many people cheering. Two on two, especially two pros who knew each other's moves so well, Sam and Jean blocked each other most of the time, so it fell to Kara and Duck to do more offense.

Once Barolay tackled Sam hard, but he managed to throw the ball under his arm to Kara to score. But on the ground, after Jean was up, he started to cough with a sudden feeling as if he was choking. The coughing fit didn't stop for a moment, and he staggered over to the side.

"Dust in my throat," he gasped out and grabbed the water cup from Lee, draining it. After a few more coughs and wheezing breaths, he settled down and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Thanks."

Lee took the cup back. "You okay?" he asked, a little concerned.

"I'm good," Sam smiled and his fingers slid across the back of Lee's hand, before he let go and went back to the game.

After the game, Sam was a little buzzed with the alcohol and energy of playing. His body felt as if it was vibrating with need and want, and he didn't want to waste the feeling. But Kara was at the bar, talking to Ellen, so his gaze settled on Lee, remembering the touch of his skin and Lee's mouth on him the night of the Agathons' wedding a month ago. It hadn't happened again, and Sam was drunk enough to try again.

Now. Sam was going to see how far he could get.

"Adama? This way," he said. "Follow me."

Lee looked a little confused but went along easily enough, following Sam into the alley between the tents.

There, Sam turned to face him, pushed him back against one of the poles, and kissed him. His hands reached out eager to feel those muscles -- so different from Kara, but gods, just as hot. He indulged in his own desires while Lee was so shocked he didn't try to shove him away.

But for once Lee kissed back, one hand on the back of Sam's neck to keep him there. When Sam's tongue touched his, he pushed back and groaned. He tasted of ambrosia and Sam felt like he could get drunk on that taste alone.

"You feel so good," he muttered against Lee's neck, and Lee drew in breath to talk. Fearing rejection, Sam said hastily, "Just shut up and let me-- let me show you it can be good, Adama. Just shut up and stop thinking."

"I'm not-- not saying anything," Lee objected breathlessly, as Sam opened his pants, pushed them down his hips, and touched him -- hip bones and the thin hip flexors that Sam wanted to trace with his tongue, and decided he was going to do that.

He knelt and Lee exclaimed in shock, "Sam! Not here. I --"

It was getting dark, there was no one around, and Sam didn't frakking care anyway. "It's Dionysus day, Adama. This is what everyone's doing."

That wasn't precisely true, since most people were probably not on their knees in the mud wanting to blow their wife's other husband, but Sam was tired of holding back from what he wanted.

He held Lee's ass, and ran his tongue down the narrow valley of his abs and under his hip bones until Lee was quivering under the touch and stiffening with arousal. "Oh, you -- you feel -- " then he lost his voice when Sam's tongue touched his cock. "Oh gods."

He licked it firmer and higher, rubbing underneath and swirling around the head, until he took it in his mouth, pushing forward between his lips so Lee gave a groan and thrust deep. Sam moved vigorously, until Lee was spasming helplessly and pulled at his hair. "Oh - oh, Sam, you - " his voice trailed off into pants as he thrust into the snug haven, and then he warned, "I'm - I'm gonna - "

Need surging through him, Sam shuddered and pulled free, panting for breath. Lee leaned back against the pole of the tent behind him. "Oh, lords of Kobol... " he breathed, looking too spent to pull his pants up again.

Kara's voice was a surprise, as she drawled behind them, "I see you're having fun without me."

"Kara!" Lee sounded appalled and shocked and finally made a move for his pants, jerking them up over his hips.

Sam turned his head to see she was close by and had obviously been watching the whole thing. She didn't look upset, and so he smirked at her. "Hey, baby."

"So yummy." She walked closer, licking her lips, hips swaying. "You two really have no idea how hot you are when you do that. I am so wet, that if you don't frak me right this frakking second," she stared at Sam in challenge and dropped her eyes to his pants where he was burning with need for it anyway, "I'm going to have to take care of it myself."

"I think I can help you out," Sam said with a laugh. Standing he swept the canvas upward. As he'd hoped , the tent was empty. "C'mon." The other two crawled in and he followed. Inside it was pitch black, when the flap was down, and he had to grab blindly at Kara, kissing her cheeks and jaw before their mouths found each other.

Her hands stripped off his shirt and then fell on his skin, unbelievably warm and lightly scratching with her short nails. Then Lee's voice from somewhere on the floor, "Kara, I'm trying to take your boots off, stay still."

She muttered something against Sam's mouth, fingers siding down to find the inside of his pants. He tore his lips away to gasp, "Oh gods." She didn't stop either, and he had to pull back again when he realized he had teeth on her shoulder, as her hand wrung guttural moans from him.

"Oh right there," Kara gasped and flinched, and he realized Lee must be helping. Sam caressed down her skin and met other hands between her legs, and she shuddered. "You two are going to kill me. Frak."

She was so wet and the smell was around him like a haze. He shut his eyes feeling he could better experience everything when he wasn't straining to see in the gloom. "Down, baby," he coaxed and pushed her toward Lee. "Kiss him. And I'll frak you."

The soft curves of her hips under his hands gave him guidance, and he barely had to touch himself to get achingly hard and ready for her. The wet sounds of Kara and Lee kissing were soon joined by the similar sounds of Sam pushing into her heat. Briefly he felt the touch of Lee's fingers, still rubbing at her, and the unexpected brush was startling and hot.

Then it was all unbelievably perfect, especially when she came, tensing beneath and around him, panting with a gasping cry. He had to grip her hips so she would stay on her knees and not fall forward, and he was a bit smug that he frakked her into coming again right before he couldn't hold back anymore...

There was a flash of brightness behind his eyes, as pleasure jolted through him.

Coming down from the high and panting, he suddenly sneezed four times, making the other two laugh. After the fit passed, exhausted, he flopped next to them.

Lee's hand found his shoulder. "You okay?"

"It was so good it made him sneeze," Kara teased and let out a long contented sigh, stretching. "Lords, we can do that again."

"Yeah." Sam's hand rested on her stomach, making idle little circles, when he felt Lee's hand touch his. Lee fumbled for a moment, making sure whose hand it was, and then when Sam thought he might pull away, folded his hand over Sam's.

"It was good," Lee confirmed sleepily. One of his fingers rubbed the back of one of Sam's. "The three of us."

"We're working it out," Kara agreed, and chuckled, "One frak at a time."

Sam leaned into her, attempting to find her mouth, but hitting her hair and then her cheek with his lips. He vaguely considered whether he was interested in doing more, but a yawn broke free. "Frak, you'd think with someone else to share, I'd be less tired. But I'm wrung out."

"You did the work; we'll change it up next time," Kara promised him sleepily. "I hope the tent's owners don't come back soon. They might be a little surprised."

Sam chuckled and thought about his clothes and a drink of water, but he didn't stir. Morning seemed soon enough to move.


	5. Chapter 5

 

It turned out it wasn't the threesome making Sam tired. In the morning his sinuses were clogged, making his head hurt from the pressure, his throat was sore, and he felt generally sluggish when he wasn't sneezing his head off. He dragged himself out of bed to go work at the building site.

He got a little sicker, picking up a cough, but it was never bad enough to stay home, when work was just a short walk away and it wasn't as if he was the only one who'd picked up a head cold.

The cough lingered, and Kara varied between annoyed that he was keeping her awake coughing and demanding he see Cottle. He resisted.

"It's just a frakking virus!" he objected. "There's nothing Cottle can do."

"You don't know that until you ask!"

"I feel better!"

"You're still coughing and it's irritating the crap out of me. I can't sleep, and you sound like you're dying!" she shouted back and threw the empty cup she rinsed her brushes in at him.

He caught it. "If it bothers you so damn much, then go up to _Pegasus_ and you can come down when it goes away!"

"Fine, then, I will." She gathered her stuff and left. He hurled the cup at the tent flap when she was gone, and decided to see if anyone was at the pyramid court. It was drizzling outside, and he glared at the clouds before deciding that a little water wasn't going to keep him from working out, though it had kept everyone else inside. But when the rain started coming down harder and his coughs were back, he gave up and went back to the cold tent, trying to warm up with a cup of tea while he stared moodily at Kara's paintings.

The following days had some sun, and the cough started to taper off, letting him get more rest. Kara and Lee came down to see how he was. Sam was glad to be able to refuse _Pegasus_ ' infirmary.

But the day after Lee left, the illness came back with a vengeance. His chest hurt and his head ached horribly. He felt awful, exhausted as though he hadn't slept at all, cold and then hot, and through all of it, he was coughing all the time.

"Sam, you're getting worse," Kara told him. "I don't like this."

"I'll be fine," he insisted but this time she wasn't buying it.

"That is such bullshit. You're sick and getting sicker." Her hand felt like ice on his forehead and he flinched back. "You're burning up," she looked worried and bit her lip. "Stay here, I'm going to get the doc."

She left the tent, but he got up. He'd promised Duck he'd play with him, and he didn't want to punk out when the weather was good. The cool air felt good on his face, and he was feeling okay when he reached the court.

"You okay, Anders?" Duck asked, frowning at him.

"Bring it, Clellan."

But a tackle brought a choking fit, and suddenly Kara was there, furious, as she pulled him to his feet and dragged him back toward the tent. "You are a moron," she snapped. "Going off into the mud to play pyramid, when you can barely breathe. What the frak were you thinking?"

"I felt better," he protested weakly, and she snorted.

"Come on, Cottle's waiting."

He had to admit it felt better to get off his feet and into bed, and his light-headedness made him feel as if he was floating just above the covers. Cottle listened to his heart and lungs, and shook his head in disapproval. "Kara tells me you've had a chest cold for weeks. Congratulations, you've managed to make your virus into a lung infection. You have pneumonia."

On his other side, Kara muttered at him, "Dumbass." But her fingers were gentle, caressing his forearm and the back of his hand. "What do we do?"

"Stay hydrated. Plenty of rest. Which means, you not stirring from this bed," Cottle ordered Sam sharply. "This is the worst case I've seen since we got here. Does your chest hurt?"

Sam nodded. "Ribs and stomach from coughing, and inside." He put a hand on his left side, where it felt like a burning coal had settled, distinct from the ache in his muscles.

Cottle nodded and opened his bag to pull out a small container. He counted out pills which he handed to Kara. "Pain-killers to help him rest. No more than one every six hours."

"And?" Kara prompted. "Surely he needs some medicine."

"I don't have any down here," Cottle answered. He hesitated, looking at Sam as if weighing his chances then at Kara, before adding, "But _Pegasus_ has some. I'll tell you what to get." Then more severely he told Sam, "No pyramid, no work, no leaving that bed. No dumb heroics. Rest. Or you'll die."

The flat warning shocked Sam, and Kara inhaled a sharp breath. Cottle saw the effect of his words and his lips turned in a grim smile. "You're very sick, Anders. And pneumonia was occasionally fatal in the Colonies even with fully stocked hospitals."

Feeling very small under the stern look, Sam nodded. "I understand."

Cottle ordered, "Close your eyes. I'll talk to you outside, Kara."

Kara squeezed Sam's hand and kissed his lips swiftly. "Go to sleep, baby," she whispered. "I'll be right back."

He shut his eyes, too tired to keep them open anymore, and fell asleep before he heard them leave the tent.

* * *

Lee greeted her as she left the Raptor. They kissed and he frowned at her, "You're back early."

"I need antibiotics," she told him and bit her lip, worried. "Doctor Cottle says Sam's cough's turned to pneumonia. That idiot was playing pyramid in the mud like a frakking championship was on the line," she added irritably heading for the hatch.

Lee sighed, not entirely surprised. Sam had stubbornly refused a berth on _Pegasus_ , where at least it was warm and dry, claiming he was better, despite the deep shadows under his eyes and continued cough. "You could've had me send them down on the next trip," he said, as they left the hangar bay.

She shook her head. "No. It was faster to come get them myself. Barolay said she'd sit with him."

Lee missed a step in his surprise and had to hurry after her. "It was that urgent?"

"He'll be fine. I just need the medicine," Kara tried to say the words flippantly, but Lee caught her shoulder and made her stop.

"Kara. What did Cottle say?"

"That he's strong and he might be able to fight it off himself." Which sounded promising to Lee, but clearly Kara didn't share that belief. Her eyes wouldn't meet his. "His fever went up. Last I saw he was muttering deliriously about somebody named John and he didn't even know I was there."

Lee squeezed her shoulder. "We'll go get the medicine. And he'll be fine, Kara. Worst case, we drag him up here to sickbay, right? I'm pretty sure germs run away from that place."

Her lips twitched into a smile, and she nodded and shrugged off his hand. "Okay."

In sickbay Kara explained to nurse Sheldan what she needed, and as soon as she had it in hand, they headed back to the flight deck.

They weren't even halfway, when the battlestations alert blared and Lee heard Hoshi's over the all-hands: "Commander, CIC."

He rushed to the phone. "Apollo."

"Cylons are here," Hoshi explained shortly.

"Shit," he blurted. "On my way." He slammed the phone down and started to run, shouting at Kara, "Cylons found us."

She raced after him into CIC.

Hoshi was at the command console and had in the earpiece, listening. He glanced at Lee and said aloud for his benefit, "Yes, sir. We have the coordinates. We're spooled and ready."

In a glance Lee took in battlestations, and their tactical position, maneuvering between the oncoming Cylon basestars and the remnants of the Fleet who were spooling their drives.

At his side, Kara saw the same thing. "No!" she blurted, "We can't jump!"

But the civilian ships were already jumping out, while _Galactica_ and _Pegasus_ lingered to protect them.

"We have to," Hoshi answered briefly, listening to someone from _Galactica_ on the wireless.

"Ready jump," Lee ordered.

Kara clutched at his arm. "No, wait. Let me launch. I have to get planetside." She dashed back out.

"Kara!" he shouted after her, but she was gone.

He found himself not knowing if he should hope for her to make it or not -- she'd jump it right off the deck if she had to.

They took some damage from the lead Heavy Raiders, who short-jumped into range, but the defenses held. They were recalling the last of their birds in flight.

Hoshi's gaze met his and he shook his head once, then put the _Galactica_ on speaker. Dee's voice was tight but controlled, as she ordered, "Go when your last bird's in the barn."

"Acknowledged," Lee said and watched the report carefully of the Vipers. Finally Showboat's bird was in the pod and he was free to go. _Galactica_ was the first to jump out, leaving _Pegasus_ for a moment on their own against the Cylons.

Lee toggled for all-hands, to make sure Kara heard. " _Pegasus_ jump," Lee ordered though Hoshi was already reaching for the button.

And they were away.

It took half an hour before the Fleet had jumped enough that they stopped. He spoke with the admiral, counted surviving ships, and dispatched CAP to make sure they were as alone as they believed. In all that time, Kara didn't return to CIC, but he knew she hadn't made it off.

When he had a chance, he went looking for her and found her perched on the wing of the Raptor, medical supply box in her lap.

"Hey."

She wouldn't look at him. "Give me the coordinates to go back."

He joined her on the wing. "The Cylons found New Caprica. They had four baseships, but they'll have more there by now."

"I'll take my chances."

"They'll grab you before you get close."

"I can't just sit here!" she flared.

Lee wondered what he could say that she'd buy. "Kara -- he's a fighter; he'll have a resistance going by dinner time."

She shook her head and murmured, still staring at nothing. "He's sick, Lee. He's got pneumonia and I left him. He could die, and I left him. At least if I was there, I could help fight--"

"Hush." He put his arm over her shoulder and hugged her to his side. "You came to get medicine. It's not your fault the Cylons found us or that you're up here and not down there. But remember, the colonel's there, with Chief and Gaeta. And all Sam's crew from the resistance on Caprica. They'll keep him safe until we can get back."

She worried at her lip with her teeth. "We're going back," she declared, but despite the strong words, he knew it was a question.

"We're going back," he promised. "He's family."

"He's your husband," she said, and he winced a little.

"I'm yours and he's yours," he insisted. "We aren't each other's."

She shook her head and tried to smile. "Still won't admit it, huh? Even after Dionysus' day?"

He could feel his cheeks warm and had to clear his throat. "I - uh, we were drunk."

But the levity faded as they stared at each other, and her hand rose up to clasp her stone ring. She dampened her lips and murmured, "So I guess I'm still hung up on dead guys." She shook her head helplessly and her eyes went liquid, and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"We'll rescue him. We'll rescue all of them, Kara. We'll find a way," he promised, even though he knew it was a stupid promise to make that he couldn't possibly keep. Sam was sick, the Cylons had found the colony, and the instant the Cylons found Sam, they'd probably execute him as a known threat. But still Lee had to promise.

It would be smarter to keep going and save what could be saved, but he had to go back: for the people's sake, for Sam's sake, but mostly for Kara's.

And, if he were honest, for his own.

 

* * *

Sam shivered as the tent flap opened and let in a cold draft of air. He opened his eyes tiredly, wondering vaguely why there was a sound of so many Raptors flying overhead and what sounded like screaming.

He expected to see Kara or Jean -- but when his eyes lifted to see who it was, he didn't recognize the woman. She was wearing a white suit so clean and bright it hurt his eyes. Her hair was long, straight and blonde, and she had cold blue eyes and a colder smile.

"Samuel Anders," she drawled. "Here you are."

It was the accent that made him remember: she was a toaster. A Three. Gods, the Cylons had found them.

He must have made some kind of shocked face, because her smile widened with pleasure. "Yes, we've found your pathetic little settlement. Even now, Centurions are securing it."

He eyed the opening behind her, judging the likelihood of getting out that way. No, a better option was the opposite way and underneath the canvas into the alley behind the tent.

He shoved himself off the bed, falling to the floor. He intended to roll to the wall, but his lungs didn't cooperate. Pain spiked in his chest, and he coughed, breath wheezing desperately.

He couldn't move, couldn't get away, could only lay there and cough and fight for air.

When the fit passed, he lay, shaking and exhausted.

"You don't sound well, at all," the Three observed, picking her way around the bed and across the floor toward him. "Pity. I suppose that means I'll have to wait until you're better."

He started to lift his head, alarmed by that, but she slammed her foot down. Her sharp heel hit his chest and he fell back with a yelp. "Down," she told him and knelt beside him, cocking her head to one side to regard him. "The Sixes talk so much about love. Remember how Caprica Six killed me over your love? I find that... fascinating." She grabbed the pair of tags at his throat, and just as she had before, yanked them off.

"Don't touch them!" He lunged at her, but she was faster, smacking him in the face with her other hand.

"I'm not going to kill you," she told him, "but I will hurt you if you don't stop." She inspected the tags in her hand. "You have two, now. Kara Thrace and... oh, now this is interesting. 'L. Adama.' Lee, isn't it? The son of the admiral?" She smirked. "I remember seeing him. You have good taste, Samuel. But still... both of them?" she mocked, "You must be very talented..."

"Frak you," he bit out furiously, but hoarse and trying not to cough again.

"Oh yes, darling," she cooed with poisonous sweetness. "I'm sure we'll get to that. It seems all my sisters become transformed with the power of love, and I want to know what they know. Love, Sam, that's what it's all about."

He couldn't tell from the brightness in her eyes whether she meant it seriously or she was mocking the whole idea.

"Get up," she ordered. "You need to get out of this cold and filth. I won't let you die in this... pit," she looked around the tent disdainfully.

Since she was letting him get up, he pushed himself to his feet. He fell into another coughing fit when his ribs pinched and the burning in the left side flared. She shoved him at the flap, while he was still coughing and could barely see or walk, and he nearly fell when it suddenly parted for him.

The air was even colder outside, and he shivered again. He hoped he could make a run for it, since the toaster wasn't actually holding onto him or armed, but he saw at once that running wasn't going to work.

There were four Centurions there, waiting alertly -- two watching him at the tent flap and the other two watching the small crowd in the street with their weapons ready.

"Sam!" He heard Jean, and turned his head to see her in the street to the south.

The Three emerged behind him and announced to the crowd loudly: "The Baltar administration has peacefully surrendered to the Cylon Regime. We came because we saw this ... squalor you live in. We wish to help you."

"Frak you and your help!" a voice called.

The Three smiled. "I'm sure you have doubts. But I'll prove it -- this is Sam Anders, a known enemy of the Cylons. He was responsible for the deaths of many of my sisters." Her hand closed on his shoulder painfully, digging into his skin like claws. "And yet, I'm taking him for medical attention. He needs medicine. Without it, he will surely die."

"Frak y-- " he started to say, but coughed again until his eyes watered and he could barely draw in air.

"Take him," she ordered the Centurions, and their spidery but intensely strong fingers closed around his upper arms. He tried to pull free, feeling small and helpless between the two metal giants.

"Sam!" Barolay called again, and he looked at her. She had a gun pointed at the Three. "Let him go, toaster!"

"Or what?" the Three challenged without fear or even concern. "If you attack us, he dies. You die. Probably some of these people here in the street die, too. Which seems particularly insane of you, when I want only to help him."

Which was bullshit; he knew it and Jean knew it. His eyes met Jean's, and they knew this had nothing to do with 'helping'. But the Three was also correct -- they were outnumbered and outgunned, and he didn't want anyone to die in the crossfire.

"Plan A, Jean!" he called to her.

Jean's expression looked torn as they began taking him away toward the central buildings they'd helped construct. "Sam!" she called, gun shaking in her hand.

"Plan A!" he ordered again, but the liquid in his lungs surged, making him cough. He wanted to stop, bend over, but the Centurions didn't let him, dragging him by his arms when his knees buckled.

No air. And pain, through his chest and stomach and shoulders... White sparks cascaded in his brain, as his vision tunneled and turned grey.

Then black.

 

 _the end, for now...._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued in **TRIAD: Discards**.


End file.
